LETTER FROM MINISTER MIKE FARNWORTH REGARDING POLICE DISPATCH COSTS
Correspondence from the Minister of Public Safety regarding the transition of police dispatch costs and provincial transition funding.
Ref. 659866
VIA EMAIL
February 29, 2024
His Worship Cliff McNeil-Smith and Mayors of the South Island Municipalities 2440 Sidney Avenue Sidney BC V8L 1Y7 Email: mayor@sidney.ca; ahicik@sidney.ca
Dear Mayor McNeil-Smith and Mayors of the South Island Municipalities:
Thank you for your letter dated December 21, 2023, requesting further deferral of the assumption of costs for police dispatch and province-wide equity.
As you are aware, the responsibility for costs associated with police dispatch transitioned to your respective municipalities in 2019 as a result of a change in service provider from RCMP to E-Comm. As you are also aware, in recognition of your municipalities’ concerns about the impact of additional costs associated with COVID-19 and cost equity with other regions in British Columbia, the Province agreed to continue to fund 100 per cent of your municipalities’ dispatch costs through March 31, 2025 (Transition Funding).
As it stands, Treasury Board has only provided Transition Funding to March 31, 2025, and therefore commencing April 1, 2025, your municipalities will be responsible for all policing costs, including dispatch, in accordance with the terms of your Municipal Policing Unit Agreements. Your municipalities must be prepared to take on that responsibility at that time. However, Public Safety Transformation Team (PSTT) staff continue to examine options to mitigate dispatch funding disparity across BC, including for your municipalities.
It is a condition of the Transition Funding that your respective municipalities and E-Comm make every effort to negotiate and sign agreements for the provision of dispatch services by April 1, 2025. While I understand there have been challenges in this process related to capacity and other matters, I encourage your municipalities to continue their respective negotiations with E-Comm, and to provide any updates on the progress of these negotiations to Megan Harris, Assistant Deputy Minister, Public Safety Transformation Team at: megan.harris@gov.bc.ca.
His Worship Cliff McNeil-Smith and Mayors of the South Island Municipalities
Attached is a copy of the summary of police dispatch costs by BC RCMP policed municipalities requested by Andrew Hicik, Director of Finance for the Town of Sidney.
If you or your staff wish to discuss this document or have further questions, please connect with Megan Harris at any time.
Sincerely,
Mike Farnworth Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General and Deputy Premier
Attachment: Dispatch Costs Summary
pc: Megan Harris, Assistant Deputy Minister, Public Safety Transformation Team
Dispatch Costs for RCMP Policed Municipalities over 5,000 Population (British Columbia) - 2023
| RCMP policed municipalities over 5,000 | South Vancouver Island RCMP policed municipalities over 5,000 |
|---|---|
| Province and Public Safety Canada pay through 70/30 cost share | Province pays 100% until March 31, 2025 (due to Provincial Transition Funding). Municipalities will pay 100% beginning April 1, 2025 |
| Dispatch Service Provider: Provincial OCC | Dispatch Service Provider: E-Comm |
| Island District: Campbell River Comox Courtenay Parksville Powell River Qualicum North District: Dawson Creek Fort St. John Kitimat Prince George Prince Rupert Quesnel Smithers Terrace Willliams Lake Southeast District: Armstrong Castlegar Coldstream Cranbrook Creston Fernie Kamloops Kelowna Kimberley Lake Country Merritt Osoyoos Peachland Penticton Revelstoke Salmon Arm Spallumcheen Summerland Trail Vernon W. Kelowna LMD District: Chilliwack Kent Mission |
N. Cowichan Colwood Ladysmith Langford N. Saanich Sidney View Royal Duncan Metchosin |
Notes:
- Under a 2007 informal agreement between then Solicitor General and Mayor, police dispatch costs for the District of Squamish is the responsibility of the Province through its Provincial Business Line. Police dispatch is provided by E-Comm.
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