Front page of PricewaterhouseCoopers report

By Canadian Press and rdnewsNOW

TRANSITION WOULD TAKE 6 YEARS

Alberta police force would cost millions more but could see better service; report

Oct 29, 2021 | 12:24 PM

EDMONTON – A report says it would cost Alberta hundreds of millions of dollars more to set up and run a provincial police force, but that it could ultimately provide more cost-effective law enforcement.

The report says it costs Alberta about $500 million a year right now to pay for the RCMP.

The federal government chips in $170 million.

The report says if Alberta decided to go it alone, it would cost about $735 million each year on top of $366 million in startup costs.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers report says shared cost savings and other initiatives would ultimately allow for more front-line officers to be hired.

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Premier Jason Kenney’s government says it will consult the public on whether to proceed.

Kenney also says the report creates a compelling case for creating a police service that is designed by Albertans, for Albertans.

“Alberta’s government is committed to the safety and security of all Albertans, no matter where they live. A much stronger model of community policing, with closer integration of social services and the involvement of Indigenous people in governance, holds real potential for improving policing in Alberta.”

Adds Justice Minister Kaycee Madu: “During my rural crime tour this summer, rural Albertans made it clear that they are deeply concerned about crime in their communities,” says Justice Minister Kaycee Madu. “PwC Canada has developed a policing model that could address long-standing concerns about response times in rural areas and put more boots on the ground. We’re eager to share these innovative and thought-provoking ideas with stakeholders and hear their thoughts over the coming months.”

If Alberta moved to its own force, the transition would take up to six years to complete.

Reports on the current state of policing and the potential future were also released.

Meantime, Alberta’s NDP says a possible provincial police force glosses over hundreds of millions of dollars in new costs for Alberta taxpayers.

“Almost $200 million in federal funding will be given up if we move to a provincial force,” said Irfan Sabir, NDP Critic for Justice. “On top of this, the UCP’s own report says it will cost $366 million in up-front transition costs alone. So while the minister twists himself into knots to claim there will not be any additional costs for Albertans, this is simply not true.

“Don’t forget that the UCP already dumped $286 million in additional costs on rural taxpayers through their new rural policing model. That will either mean less service or higher taxes for Albertans.

“So let’s be clear: this is a sneaky plan to raise Albertans’ taxes.”

The NDP says Justice Minister Kaycee Madu refused to address why it didn’t account for the $200 million in lost funding.

The party says they have been copied on numerous letters from rural municipalities calling on Madu to drop the provincial police idea, noting a survey conducted by the government’s own Fair Deal Panel suggested only 35 per cent of Albertans support it.

“I have serious concerns about the motives behind this move,” Sabir said. “The UCP is still under investigation by the RCMP for their 2017 leadership race. The UCP was under investigation from the elections commissioner, and fired him. Now they’re doing the same with the RCMP. It looks like the UCP are moving ahead with this out of their own political interests, not what’s in the best interests of Albertans.

“I commit to Albertans that if we have the opportunity to form the next government, we will not be pursuing this idea,” Sabir said.

Elsewhere, the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) says it welcomes today’s announcement by the provincial government that it is sharing the long-awaited PricewaterhouseCoopers’ report on the viability of a provincial police service with Albertans.

“AUMA will need some time to review and analyze the contents of this report before we can offer specific comments. We owe it to our members to do a thorough job. Consequently, we are unable to present an official position right now,” reads a statement from the organization.

“While we are unable to comment on specific details from the report at this time, we are concerned that some important questions may not have been asked by PwC, and therefore, may not have been answered. We are also concerned that the report may be missing some key information and may have failed to consider some important factors,” the statement continues.

“The AUMA maintains that a fair and democratic referendum on the establishment of a provincial police service should occur if the Government of Alberta decides it wants to go this route. Premier Jason Kenney said as much in November 2019, and we expect him to honour his commitment.

“Albertans deserve a fair deal from their provincial government when it comes to how our hard-earned tax dollars are spent on policing. We are concerned that Alberta would forfeit about $160 million a year in federal funding for police services if it were to form a provincial police service.

“If all Albertans must pay for something, then all Albertans must have a say in the decision,” the statement concludes.

(Canadian Press)