On December 3rd, the Local Government RCMP Contract Management Committee (LGCMC) met with provincial government and B.C. 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, along with recent changes to the membership of the LGCMC, are summarized in this article.
Safer Communities Action Plan – Provincial Investment
As part of its Safer Communities Action Plan, the province has invested $230 million over three years (April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2026) in support of the RCMP as the Provincial Police Service. The RCMP is on track to fill 256 Regular Members (RMs) and 80 public service positions to the Provincial Police Service over the three years. Provincial representatives noted that, as of September 30, 2024, the RCMP has hired 155 RMs and 47 support staff positions. Staffing is now operational in 22 communities in the North District, 10 communities in the Southeast District, 9 communities in Island District and 3 communities in the Lower Mainland District. Some of these RMs and support staff have also been allocated to the B.C. Highway Patrol and other specialized teams that work across the province.
CMC Update
Provincial representatives provided an update on the national Contract Management Committee (CMC) ADM meeting, which was held on November 21st in Edmonton. Issues of relevance to the LGCMC and local governments included:
- Future of Contract Policing: CMC members briefly discussed the future of contract policing. The federal government will not seek a negotiation mandate until after the upcoming election, with provinces and territories expected to follow. Local government members were adamant that local governments be involved in these discussions, including those occurring during the planning stage.
- CMC Update – RCMP Management Advisory Board: The Chairperson of the RCMP Management Advisory Board (MAB) attended the CMC meeting to provide an overview of the Board’s work and purpose. The MAB is an independent oversight body that includes 13 members with expertise in various areas (e.g., human resources, finance, government). The MAB is mandated to provide advice and information to the RCMP Commissioner on issues such as RCMP modernization, use of resources, policies, strategic plans, risks and budgets. Recruitment is currently the MAB’s top priority.
- Northern Policing: The three territories delivered a joint presentation regarding the unique challenges of policing in northern Canada. Some of the issues identified included the remoteness of communities, service delivery challenges, and the high cost of building materials and housing.
Due to time constraints, discussions regarding select contract billing issues were not completed, and will be moved to a future meeting.
With respect to recruitment, representatives from the RCMP National Recruiting Program have previously advised that if any communities are interested in promoting their jurisdictions, they can be connected with the appropriate RCMP resources. B.C. local governments interested in pursuing this opportunity are asked to contact Bhar Sihota, UBCM Senior Policy Analyst, for more information.
Any B.C. local governments receiving RCMP policing services that wish to receive more comprehensive information regarding CMC discussion items may email Bhar Sihota to request a copy of the national Contract Management Committee’s Records of Discussion.
Provincial Government Update
Provincial representatives noted that the Honourable Gary Begg was appointed Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, and the Honourable Terry Yung was appointed Minister of State for Community Safety and Integrated Services. Information about individual mandates and priorities will be discussed by the LGCMC once this information is available. (Please note, since the time that this meeting took place, provincial mandate letters have been published).
Collective Bargaining Update
RCMP representatives advised that retroactive salaries associated with the second Collective Agreement have been paid out to RCMP Members in the Q3 regular invoicing cycle. It is anticipated that the National Police Federation, the union representing affected RCMP Members, will submit a notice to bargain in early December. (Please note, the National Police Federation issued a notice to bargain on December 5th).
Provincial representatives added that the Chief Negotiator for the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat attended the November 21st CMC meeting. It was noted that UBCM has delivered correspondence to the Chief Negotiator, requesting a meeting to discuss B.C. local government priorities and concerns in advance of the third round of collective bargaining. This follows repeated requests for more direct consultation with local governments.
Implementation of Body Worn Cameras
The B.C. RCMP provided an update on the phased implementation of body worn cameras (BWCs), which began in B.C. on November 24th. The initial ‘Wave Zero’ sites included Mission, Tofino/Ahousaht, Kamloops, Cranbrook (City and B.C. Highway Patrol), and Prince George. Additional phases will follow soon after. This fiscal year, the RCMP expects to rollout 950 BWCs in British Columbia. By the end of the implementation phase, more than 3,000 BWC will be deployed in B.C. Cameras will first go to frontline/general duty Members, followed by emergency response teams and Combined Forces Special Enforcement uniformed units. B.C.’s Transcription and Redaction Support Group is currently reviewing video evidence.
RCMP Recruitment and Vacancies
B.C. RCMP representatives advised that the Flexible Posting Program is contributing to an increase in the number of annual applicants. Depot Division is currently running 40 troops of 32 cadets per year, compared to 30 troops of 25 cadets the previous year.
E Division expects to receive 391 cadets this year, up from 281 in 2023. The Division also has 1,585 applicants in the national queue of 6,823. The E Division suitability pilot project, which entails meeting with cadets at Depot Division who seek to come to B.C., has been extended until February 2025.
Current E Division vacancies are largely attributed to unfunded positions and those on long- and short-term sick leave. B.C. continues to bring in more cadets than there are Members that leave or retire. Attrition is further offset by the Experienced Police Officer Program.
Major Events and Operational Initiatives – Impacts on Local Governments
The B.C. RCMP provided an update on several major events and operational issues, including resource commitments for the Invictus Games, preparations for the 2026 World Cup, protests and recent wildfires. It was noted that there is expected to be minimal disruption associated with the upcoming G7 meetings in Alberta, as federal policing will likely be first tasked with security responsibilities.
Surrey Transition & Impacts on Local Governments
Provincial representatives provided an update on the status of the Surrey police model transition. On November 29th, the Surrey Police Service (SPS) became the Police of Jurisdiction in the City of Surrey. The RCMP has established a Temporary Provincial Support Unit to support the transition and provide policing services in Surrey. The SPS is currently policing two of five City districts and providing investigative services in one.
An expectation has been set to complete the transition in two years. The ability to meet this expectation will depend on many factors, including the SPS’ ability to recruit and hire. LGCMC members have previously raised the need to monitor and manage impacts on other police agencies and police training associated with the transition.
The LGCMC also discussed the RCMP’s demobilization and redeployment of RCMP members to other regions of the province. Based on projections communicated to the LGCMC, there could be upwards of 100 RCMP Members redeployed across B.C. this year, and more in future years, to fill existing vacancies and growth.
February 2025 Appointments to the LGCMC
Several LGCMC members saw their terms expire at the end of 2024. The UBCM Executive, at its February 2025 meeting, appointed the following individuals to fill these vacancies, and serve on the LGCMC for a two-year term:
- Mayor Sean Bujtas, City of Terrace
- Director Robyn Mawhinney, Strathcona Regional District
- Councillor Kyle Sampson, City of Prince George
- Mayor David Wilks, District of Sparwood
- William Duvall, Municipal Solicitor, District of North Vancouver