As part of its assessment of RCMP contract policing, the federal government has published a summary of its engagement with contract partners, including local governments. This assessment was mandated in 2021, with engagement occurring throughout Canada in 2023. UBCM members provided input through a March 2023 webinar, and the Local Government RCMP Contract Management Committee.
The ‘What We Heard’ report is focused on the same four themes that were initially identified by the federal government for the purpose of the assessment: governance and accountability, program sustainability and cost, service delivery, and long-term vision.
With respect to governance, the report recognizes the need to better consider local priorities, improve consultation with contract partners, and provide local governments with more influence over the delivery of policing services.
Input provided under sustainability and cost reflects several long-standing issues, including vacancies, recruitment, and the rising cost of policing. Local governments across Canada, including those in BC, emphasized their limited financial capacity compared to other orders of government.
Issues tabled under the service delivery theme include the RCMP’s inability to implement new approaches to service delivery, the need for timely data and information to support decision-making, and the importance of a robust federal policing program. There were also requests for Public Safety Canada to take a more active role in managing the Police Service Agreements (PSAs) and related police service obligations.
Discussion on the long-term vision beyond 2032, when the PSAs are set to expire, focused on the federal government’s future role in contract policing. All orders of government have sought greater certainty from the federal government regarding its commitment to contract policing beyond 2032.
Many of the key issues noted in the report were identified by BC local government representatives as part of engagement sessions in 2023. UBCM members, along with other contract partners, also expressed their appreciation for the work of front-line RCMP officers, and the services they provide.
In addition to holding engagement sessions throughout Canada, the federal government provided brief updates to the national Contract Management Committee (CMC), of which UBCM is a member. In November 2023, Public Safety Canada committed to sharing a draft of its ‘What We Heard’ report with all CMC members, including local government representatives, to ensure it accurately reflected feedback provided by contract partners. While the draft report was shared with provinces and territories months in advance of the release date, the federal government chose to withhold the report from local governments until just days prior to its release. This decision denied local government members of CMC the opportunity to adequately review and comment on the draft report.
While the federal government has noted that the assessment of contract policing is now complete, it is expected that key issues will be addressed through various forums and ongoing discussions. The federal government previously advised that its 2032 PSA negotiation mandate may be informed by feedback provided through this review.
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