Funding model for provincial police draws county attention

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Wheatland County council is requesting more information from the province about their police funding model.

During the May 19 meeting, council directed administration to draft a letter to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services requesting a presentation including clarification on the policy model and how it applies to municipal bylaw enforcement and the RCMP.

Additionally, the county is seeing further information from the province regarding per capita cost estimates on municipalities under the new model, and how cost efficiencies can be achieved.

“When we were at the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (meeting) in Edmonton for the spring session with our face to face, 15 minutes with Minister Ellis and his deputies, we discussed policing and some of the costs and some of the new programs that ministry is bringing forward,” said Coun. Berle Hebbes. “It was (presented) as an information thing to us, and at that meeting, Minister Ellis offered to literally send his assistant down to present to us on some options for policing delivery and costs. I think we should take him up on that offer.”

Reeve Scott Klassen added representatives from the county were attending the RMA in opposition of the province downloading policing costs onto municipalities.

The Province of Alberta introduced the Police Funding Regulation in April 2020, introducing what is now the current funding model.

Costs associated with frontline officers have been redistributed, and municipalities are now responsible for contributing significant percentages of the costs to maintain staffing and resources.

The model applies to municipalities with populations under 5,000, as well as to municipal districts and counties.

Under the five-year model, expectations were to initially contribute 10 per cent of costs in year one, 15 per cent in year two, 20 per cent in year three, and 30 per cent in years four and five.

Contributions were scheduled to reduce back to 22 per cent for 2026, with gradual increases back to 30 per cent by 2031.

“When I first got elected, there was no cost, and now it has escalated fairly substantially, and now it is becoming – maybe we have a different option here,” said Klassen. “Before, there was no need to look at it because there was no cost. Up there, they mentioned it and I said I don’t know what that looks like, I don’t know if it is even feasible.”

Council voted unanimously in support of the letter. Should a meeting be arranged with the province, the time and date will be made publicly available in a future county meeting agenda.