Surrey, B.C. — As property tax bills arrive ahead of their July 1 due date, Surrey homeowners are reminded of the rising and unknown costs of the proposed police transition.
In addition to a 2.9% City-announced property tax increase, homeowners are again facing the homeowner levy, which is dedicated to funding the proposed new police service and which tripled from $100 to $300 in 2021.
Thanks to an ongoing lack of planning, Surrey residents are now funding one longstanding, and another start-up police service for multiple years with no end date, which inevitably impacts funding for other services and community programs.
“This entire transition has been characterized by delays, vague to non-existent plans, a lack of transparency and skyrocketing costs from the very beginning,” said Brian Sauvé, President of the National Police Federation. “And, despite claims to the contrary, this transition is by no means a done deal.”
Projected transition costs and the loss of a 10% federal subsidy projected to cost taxpayers $200 million over the next five years. A continued lack of transparency or accountability creates uncertainty for Surrey residents about additional and true costs of the proposed transition. In fact, ongoing polling by Pollara Strategic Insights reveals a steady rate of disapproval from Surrey residents about this transition including 82% who believe this transition should be halted until detailed costs are shared publicly.
“The City of Surrey is delivering a masterclass on how not to transition to a new police service,” said Trevor Dinwoodie, Director of the National Police Federation, Surrey RCMP Staff Sergeant, and long-time Surrey resident. “Our Members will continue to serve their Surrey communities with the RCMP, but it bears repeating that even modest investments to better resource the RCMP in Surrey will go farther than the tens of millions of taxpayer dollars wasted on this police transition.”
For more information about the upcoming municipal election, the future of policing in Surrey and related topics, visit www.surreyssayonpolicing.com.
About the National Police Federation:
The National Police Federation (NPF) was certified to represent ~20,000 RCMP Members serving across Canada and internationally in the summer of 2019. The NPF is the largest police labour relations organization in Canada; the second largest in North America and is the first independent national association to represent RCMP Members.
The NPF is focused on improving public safety in Canada by focusing on increasing resources, equipment, training, and other supports for our Members who have been under-funded for far too long. Better resourcing and supports for the RCMP will enhance community safety and livability in the communities we serve, large and small, across Canada.
For more information: https://npf-fpn.com/
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Fabrice de Dongo
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