Town gets policing grant
By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Town of Strathmore council voted to approve a grant funding agreement with the Province of Alberta to support local police service delivery.
A special meeting of council was held, Nov. 29 to discuss the agreement and decide whether to accept it.
Jonathan Strathdee, on behalf of Town of Strathmore administration, explained the town receives an annual grant for the policing services.
The Town of Strathmore received a letter from Alberta Public Safety and Emergency Services, dated Nov. 27, stating the grant agreement for policing services needed to be returned by Dec. 1
Having approved the agreement, the town will receive a grant in the amount of $408,224 for 2024, which equals the grant funding that the town received last year for the RCMP grant.
According to the province, as stated in the letter sent to the town, the decision to continue funding local police services at the same grant amount has been made due to continued financial pressures in delivery of policing.
In terms of use of the grant, the purpose of public safety grants is noted explicitly to ensure the delivery of policing, policing oversight, implementation of policing initiatives and priorities, and the ability to support enhanced policing services for the municipality.
Coun. Denise Peterson motioned for council to authorize the mayor to sign the policing funding support agreement as it was presented.
Coun. Brent Wiley inquired as to whether delaying in signing the agreement was possible and whether it would be possible to appeal for more grant funding from the province.
Kara Rusk, speaking on behalf of town administration, clarified that the grant funding being made available to the town is already the maximum which would be allowed by the province.
Further, Rusk explained if the town did not approve signing the agreement during the special council meeting, they would not proceed in time for the province’s deadline, and would simply not receive any grant funding.
The town voted unanimously in favour of authorizing the mayor to sign the grant agreement in order to meet the province’s deadline.
As defined in the grant agreement, the town, being the recipient, will use the grant, including any accrued interest, solely and entirely to ensure it has adequate and effective policing and policing oversight, to assist in the implementation of provincial policing initiatives and priorities, to enhance policing services, and to offset the costs of employment of police officers.
The province has stated following the signing of the agreement, funds will be distributed to the town within a “reasonable time,” which was not otherwise specified.