Jeff Lee, Vancouver Sun September 28, 2010
WHISTLER - The federal government is refusing to budge on altering the cost-sharing formula for RCMP contracts with municipalities and the provincial government, local government officials at the Union of B.C. Municipalities were told Tuesday. The decision is a blow for politicians who were hoping for a more equitable cost-sharing formula than the 90 per cent they now have to pay.
"No, 90-10 is not fair and we still don't like it," said Surrey Mayor Diane Watts, whose municipality has one of the largest RCMP contracts in the country. "We've seen downloading to local governments for years and we have been trying to stop that. We're going to continue to push on this until the contract is signed."Under the current contract, which ends in March, 2012, municipal governments over 15,000 in population carry 90 per cent of the contract costs, with the federal government carrying the rest. Those under 15,000 but over 5,000 pay 70 per cent. But the UBCM, at the urging of muncipalities, has been trying to get the rates carved back to 70/30 and 50/50 respectively, saying local governments are increasingly paying an unsustainable portion of policing costs.
But there was some good news for municipalities. Langley City Mayor Peter Fassbender, the local government observer on the provincial-federal negotiating committee, said the province has rejected Ottawa's demands to download even more costs to municipalities. And it also won a small victory with Ottawa agreeing to take over 30 per cent of the cost of integrated teams such as the Integrated Homicide Team because they deal increasingly with federal or provincial investigations. Still, the fact that B.C. municipalities - which represent a major portion of the RCMP's strength in Canada - aren't full partners at the negotiating table still irks some mayors. "We have no control over costs or the budget," said Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore. "Burnaby and Surrey RCMP services are larger than all of Prince Edward Island, yet PEI is at the negotiating table and we are not." British Columbia accounts for more than 30 per cent of the RCMP's strength across the country. Fassbender, who can only observe but not comment at the negotiating table, said the province has done a credible job negotiating on behalf of municipalities. But he pointed out that after that contract is signed, the municipalities still have to negotiate individual contracts with the province. On Wednesday the UBCM will hold a closed-door meeting with mayors of RCMP contract communities to discuss future plans.
WHISTLER - The federal government is refusing to budge on altering the cost-sharing formula for RCMP contracts with municipalities and the provincial government, local government officials at the Union of B.C. Municipalities were told Tuesday. The decision is a blow for politicians who were hoping for a more equitable cost-sharing formula than the 90 per cent they now have to pay.
"No, 90-10 is not fair and we still don't like it," said Surrey Mayor Diane Watts, whose municipality has one of the largest RCMP contracts in the country. "We've seen downloading to local governments for years and we have been trying to stop that. We're going to continue to push on this until the contract is signed."Under the current contract, which ends in March, 2012, municipal governments over 15,000 in population carry 90 per cent of the contract costs, with the federal government carrying the rest. Those under 15,000 but over 5,000 pay 70 per cent. But the UBCM, at the urging of muncipalities, has been trying to get the rates carved back to 70/30 and 50/50 respectively, saying local governments are increasingly paying an unsustainable portion of policing costs.
But there was some good news for municipalities. Langley City Mayor Peter Fassbender, the local government observer on the provincial-federal negotiating committee, said the province has rejected Ottawa's demands to download even more costs to municipalities. And it also won a small victory with Ottawa agreeing to take over 30 per cent of the cost of integrated teams such as the Integrated Homicide Team because they deal increasingly with federal or provincial investigations. Still, the fact that B.C. municipalities - which represent a major portion of the RCMP's strength in Canada - aren't full partners at the negotiating table still irks some mayors. "We have no control over costs or the budget," said Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore. "Burnaby and Surrey RCMP services are larger than all of Prince Edward Island, yet PEI is at the negotiating table and we are not." British Columbia accounts for more than 30 per cent of the RCMP's strength across the country. Fassbender, who can only observe but not comment at the negotiating table, said the province has done a credible job negotiating on behalf of municipalities. But he pointed out that after that contract is signed, the municipalities still have to negotiate individual contracts with the province. On Wednesday the UBCM will hold a closed-door meeting with mayors of RCMP contract communities to discuss future plans.
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