Minister Announces Completion of Surrey, BC Police Transition From RCMP to Local Force

A lengthy and tumultuous negotiation between the British Columbia government and the City of Surrey regarding the policing of the Metro Vancouver city has concluded with a significant financial agreement.

According to Solicitor General Mike Farnworth on July 10, the deal entails the replacement of the RCMP by the independent Surrey Police Service on Nov. 29 as part of a $250-million, 10-year agreement between the province and the City of Surrey.

This agreement not only guarantees the safety of Surrey residents but also ensures that the local government will not impose a police tax to cover transition expenses over the next decade.

Mr. Farnworth described this as a major change and the largest police transition in the history of both the province and the country, despite facing numerous challenges along the way. He emphasized, “Now we have an agreement.”

This resolution marks the end of a contentious two-year process marked by disputes and legal action initiated by the city council as they attempted to return to the RCMP amidst the ongoing transition to an independent force.

Ultimately, the final agreement was reached after Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke informed her council last month that she accepted a judicial review affirming the province’s authority to finalize the transition from the RCMP to the local force.

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Ms. Locke, who was absent from the news conference, had previously expressed her disapproval of the mandated transition to the Surrey Police Service despite accepting the B.C. Supreme Court ruling.

However, Mr. Farnworth confirmed that the Surrey council, including Ms. Locke, has agreed to the government’s $150 million transition proposal, which includes an additional $20 million over five years to cover potential higher costs of salaries for Surrey Police Service officers compared to what the city would have paid RCMP officers.

Although he has not yet discussed the agreement with the mayor due to personal circumstances, Mr. Farnworth is pleased that an agreement has been reached between the City of Surrey and the province, signaling a willingness to move forward.

On Nov. 29, the Surrey Police Service will officially become the city’s police force, with 431 sworn officers and staff making it the second-largest municipal police department in B.C. after the Vancouver Police Department.

Mr. Farnworth recognized that the transition process faced challenges but stressed that the ultimate outcome will be beneficial for the province, the city, and its residents, as well as for the hard-working men and women of both the Surrey Police Service and the RCMP.