Town of Innisfail responds to update from Government of Canada on issue of retroactive RCMP costs

The Town of Innisfail responded on April 10, 2023 to the federal government’s disappointing decision to pass unbudgeted and unaccounted for costs on to municipalities.

Despite months of municipal advocacy led by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), provincial-territorial associations and local leaders across Canada, Town officials say the federal government has indicated in the most recent federal budget it will not be meeting the request to absorb the retroactive costs associated with the latest RCMP collective bargaining agreement.

Town officials say the 2023 federal budget further confirmed that communities across Canada that are dependent on RCMP services for local policing, including Innisfail, are expected to cover these costs—a decision falling well short of the call from municipalities to fully absorb the costs.

“We are extremely disappointed with this decision and we will continue advocating for a more equitable solution from the federal government”, said Innisfail Mayor Jean Barclay. “They need to reconsider their stance. There is too much downloading of costs to municipalities and this is yet another example.”