Overview

• Becky Druhan says a funding agreement with the RCMP is being finalized to replace any municipal force that falls short of provincial standards.
• Municipal chiefs warn centralizing under the RCMP could weaken community-rooted policing and strip municipalities of decision-making power.
• Since 1994, municipalities have paid no extra cost to contract RCMP services, but new legislation may alter the financial burden and cost-sharing structure.
• The government’s shift follows a 2023 Deloitte review recommending a provincial force and builds on the Mass Casualty Commission’s critique of the RCMP response to the 2020 mass shooting.
• An audit of all municipal police agencies is scheduled for fall to evaluate compliance with new standards and determine future RCMP deployments.