On January 10, 2024 the Local Government RCMP Contract Management Committee (LGCMC) met with provincial government and BC RCMP representatives to discuss issues related to the Municipal Police Unit Agreements, and policing more broadly in British Columbia. Key issues discussed at the meeting are summarized in this article.
After-Hours Bail
The Committee received background information on after-hours bail, a discussion topic requested by the LGCMC. “After-Hours Bail” are bail proceedings that take place outside of court business hours on weekends, holidays, and evenings. Following a 2017 court decision in Alberta, where it was found that police do not have the authority to conduct bail hearings, a decision was made to adopt the ruling in BC and the Province began to slowly expand after-hours bail across the province.
LGCMC members raised questions about whether local governments had been consulted as part of the implementation process, as there could be additional costs for local governments (e.g., staffing). The Province has indicated that consultation and engagement are expected.
Committee members agreed to continue discussion on this issue at an upcoming LGCMC meeting, and Provincial staff have offered to provide an information note to the Committee regarding the initiative and consultation.
Assessment of Contract Policing
Provincial representatives provided an update on Public Safety Canada’s (PSC) Assessment of Contract Policing. Following PSC’s completion of stakeholder engagement in 2023, PSC has completed a draft ‘What We Heard’ report, which has been shared with provinces and territories. PSC has indicated that it will also provide a draft copy to local government representatives on the national Contract Management Committee (CMC). While it was previously noted that this report would be available by late winter/early spring 2024, its public release is still pending. The Province, through the CMC, will continue to provide updates on the timeline for the report.
It remains unclear as to how contract partner feedback on the draft ‘What We Heard’ report will be incorporated into the final report.
Collective Bargaining Update
RCMP E Division representatives provided an update on collective bargaining. While the planning rate (communicated to local governments through the Multi-Year Financial Plan) still stands, local governments may wish to consider putting aside additional funds in the event that the final settlement is greater than the planning rate. There will be some retroactive pay associated with the second Collective Agreement, given that the initial Collective Agreement expired on March 31, 2023.
Auxiliary Program Update
RCMP representatives provided an update on the Auxiliary Program, which soft launched in September 2023. As part of the soft launch, detachments are reaching out to former Auxiliaries to gauge their interest in continuing to participate. The RCMP has identified mandatory courses that must be completed for these former Auxiliaries to return, as well as uniform requirements. The official launch of the Program is anticipated to take place in April 2024.
It was noted that the new Program will be able to operate sooner in detachments with legacy programs. RCMP Members will also receive training to supervise Auxiliaries.
Local government representatives were appreciative that the new Program is being implemented.
Provincial Initiatives
Provincial representatives provided updates on the following issues:
- 2023 UBCM Convention: The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General held over 25 meetings with local governments. Topics included the cost-share for RCMP policing services, broader cost impacts, policing responsibilities and pressures experienced by municipalities emerging over the 5,000-person threshold, continued concerns with vacancies, as well as the future of contract policing.
- Safer Communities Action Plan: In support of the Safer Communities Action Plan, the Province has invested $230 million in the RCMP Provincial Police Service. Funding will be used to address gaps in staffing, and resource pressures in rural, remote, and specialized functions within the Provincial Police Service.
- Repeat Violent Offending Intervention Initiative (ReVOII) and Special Investigation and Targeted Enforcement (SITE) Program: ReVOII is intended to enhance collaborative efforts between probation officers, law enforcement, Crown prosecutors, and dedicated Community Integration Specialists, who will focus on repeat offending through BC. The SITE Program offers support to these efforts by providing $5 million per year in operational funding to police agencies, to enhance police capacity in targeting repeat violent offending.
- Police and Public Safety Modernization: As part of the first phase of this work, the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General intends to introduce targeted changes to the Police Act in spring 2024 as an interim step towards broader legislative reform. Engagement has begun to co-develop policy that will form the foundation of new policing and oversight legislation. This engagement includes ongoing work through the Local Government Policing Modernization Roundtable, co-chaired by UBCM and the Ministry. The Ministry is anticipating that it will return to Government in late 2024 or early 2025 to seek direction on the development of new legislation.
In addition to these issues, local governments also sought information regarding the Lower Mainland BC Highway Patrol (BCHP) service delivery model realignment. Under the Police Act, local governments are responsible for policing within their jurisdiction, including traffic calls for service on provincial highways. In addition to their mandated duties, the South Coast Highway Patrol has, in the past, been responding to some of these traffic calls for service on provincial highways, which does not align with the mandate for BCHP elsewhere in the province.
The RCMP sought approval from the Province to amend the South Coast Highway Patrol service delivery model to, among other things, reflect responsibilities under the Police Act and align the service delivery model to the BCHP mandate that exists throughout the rest of the province. Some communities have raised concerns related to cost impacts resulting from these changes. As a result, the Province has asked the RCMP to pause the mandate realignment to allow for further engagement with impacted communities.
Correspondence
LGCMC Co-Chairs have recently delivered correspondence to Public Safety Canada regarding local government participation in the collective bargaining process. The letter notes that local governments are faced with increasing cost pressures, and that ‘ability to pay’ should be given consideration during contract negotiations. An additional process improvement requested by the Co-Chairs is for the federal government to conduct more proactive engagement with its contract partners.