B.C. municipalities must cough up millions in RCMP back pay after the federal government indicated it will not absorb retroactive contract cost increases associated with the Mounties’ latest collective agreement.
The bill comes as cities across the province struggle with inflation and rising costs that have, in some cases, led to double-digit property tax increases.
“We’re being hit from all sides,” said Craig Hodge, a Coquitlam city councillor and co-chairman of the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) contract management committee.
The money, which in many cases will need to be repaid to Ottawa over the next two years, covers services already provided as far back as 2017, rather than current or future policing needs. The UBCM estimates the collective cost to B.C. local governments for the RCMP to be between $138 million and $145 million.
“Even those municipalities that put aside money for this, it’s not enough,” said Hodge. “All B.C. municipalities with RCMP are impacted to some degree.”
Vancouver Island areas served by the RCMP include the West Shore, Sidney, Sooke, North Cowichan-Duncan, Port Alberni, Nanaimo and Comox Valley.
Last April, after years without a contract, the RCMP’s roughly 20,000 members signed a new collective agreement, which included a $25,000 annual pay raise for sergeants and $20,000 for constables. Local governments were warned in advance of the increase, which brings compensation closer in line with municipal police departments.
In many cases, the amount exceeded expectations.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities has been lobbying the federal government to absorb the retroactive costs. But while there is some flexibility in the timeline for repayment, this week’s budget makes it clear municipalities must foot the bill.
“The federal government’s refusal to absorb these costs — which were essentially negotiated with municipal money but not with municipal input — is not acceptable,” federation president Taneen Rudyk said in a statement. “Municipal councils will be forced to make incredibly tough decisions.”
The country’s largest RCMP detachment, Surrey, faces a $30.85 million bill.
Sparwood Mayor David Wilks said the bill will be tough for small municipalities to swallow. With a population of just under 5,000 people, his municipality has a slightly different RCMP contract than bigger cities and will receive notice of its share from the province.
But nearby Fernie, with just over 5,000 people, could have to pay $500,000, he said. To put it in perspective, a one per cent property tax increase is likely to net a community of that size about $35,000. “That is a huge hit.”
Wilks said he wants the federal government to provide more information during the next round of contract talks as the current RCMP contract expires this year.
“If it looks like it’s going to drag on, tell us that. Tell us the worst-case scenario, so we can be prepared,” he said.
The back pay and retroactive costs owed by B.C. municipalities vary depending on detachment size. Coquitlam has estimated its retroactive costs at about $6.2 million. For Vernon, it’s $3.4 million.
Costs for Island municipalities weren’t immediately available on Thursday.
“This situation cannot occur again,” said Rudyk. “Going forward, municipalities must be properly consulted on issues related to policing costs given the municipal responsibility to keep our communities safe.”
— With Times Colonist file
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