The federal government intends to deliver correspondence to contract partners in the coming weeks, providing cost projections associated with the new RCMP collective agreement. Despite this action, UBCM continues to request that the federal government cover all retroactive costs associated with the implementation of the agreement.
The collective agreement outlines new rates of pay, including retroactive amounts for affected RCMP members, and provides a process for the employer (Government of Canada) to pay these costs. However, it does not directly address how the federal government will recover these amounts from its contract partners (provinces, territories and local governments).
Federal correspondence is expected to include a range of costs that may be borne by each contract jurisdiction, as well as a summary of the billing methodology used to calculate this range. It is unknown if the letters will include a payment schedule or specify when invoices will be sent to contract partners. It is important to note that this correspondence does not represent an invoice.
In November 2021, UBCM delivered correspondence to the Honourable Marco Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety, in support of FCM’s request that the federal government cover all retroactive costs associated with the implementation of the RCMP collective agreement. Reasons for this request include but are not limited to the federal government’s failure to consider local government ability to pay; and the lack of adequate communication and consultation with local governments throughout this process.