Whereas the City of Port Alberni funds the greatest number of RCMP members and pays significantly higher police costs per capita and per household compared to other local governments in the Alberni Valley, placing a significant burden on its taxpayers under the current Police Services funding model for British Columbia that does not take into account the financial commitment or funding contribution of each jurisdiction; And whereas systemic social issues outside of a local governments mandate, such as poverty, addiction, and mental health challenges, contribute to increased call volumes and demands on police services, creating high police services costs that are further exacerbated by the need to respond to and manage the impacts of these systemic social issues: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urgently appeal to the Province of British Columbia to develop an equitable Police Services funding program for all BC municipalities and regional districts that takes into account the financial capacity and population size of each jurisdiction, as well as the additional demands placed on police services due to systemic social issues outside of a local governments mandate.
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General Options for a fair and equitable police shared funding model are being explored by the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, as recommended by the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act. Extensive engagement with local governments was undertaken as part of the Policing and Public Safety Modernization initiative and will continue as policy options related to funding models are explored and as the overall scope and clarity of priorities for the Policing and Public Safety Modernization initiative are confirmed. The Province is committed to working with local governments to better understand the complexities of their social environments and community safety needs. In recognition of the interconnectedness of social issues and corresponding police response, the Honourable Terry Yung was appointed Minister of State for Community Safety and Integrated Services in 2024. Additionally, the Cabinet Committee on Community Safety was established to ensure an integrated government response to community safety issues.