The provincial government is updating the Police Act in an effort to prevent the same mess from occurring that continues to define SurreyB次元官网网址檚 policing transition to the Surrey Police Service from the Surrey RCMP.

B次元官网网址淧eople deserve to know who is protecting their homes, families and businesses when there is a change in policing in their community,B次元官网网址� Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth said Monday in Victoria. B次元官网网址淭hese amendments mean that the confusion caused by the City of Surrey wonB次元官网网址檛 be repeated elsewhere in B.C. When passed, these amendments will ensure policing transitions proceed in a way that provides certainty for people and maintains public safety.B次元官网网址�

Farnworth said the legislation provides B次元官网网址渃larity and finalityB次元官网网址� to Surrey residents concerning the transition. B次元官网网址淎mendments to the Act will specify that the City of Surrey must provide policing services through a municipal police department. It also provides the authority for the solicitor general to cancel the existing agreement between the Province and the City of Surrey for the provision of RCMP services.B次元官网网址�

Premier David Eby said Tuesday that whether or not Surrey is moving forward to a municipal police force B次元官网网址渋s no longer up for discussion, they are moving forward to a municipal force in Surrey and for everybodyB次元官网网址檚 benefit we need to just get on with that work.B次元官网网址�

Farnworth said the legislation also provides, B次元官网网址渋f necessary,B次元官网网址� the provincial government with the ability to appoint an administrator to B次元官网网址渁ssume the functionsB次元官网网址� of the Surrey Police Board to oversee the SPS.

To follow the billB次元官网网址檚 progress through the legislator, you can check out

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke is not conceding defeat. B次元官网网址淲e are still all in the process of reviewing it and we will continue to do that,B次元官网网址� she said of the legislation released Monday afternoon.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 going to be really clear B次元官网网址� the City of Surrey has made a position, weB次元官网网址檙e not changing that position.

B次元官网网址淔irst and foremost, weB次元官网网址檙e here to protect the taxpayers of this province,B次元官网网址� Locke told reporters. B次元官网网址淲e know that the cost of this transition is extraordinary.B次元官网网址�

Eby said Tuesday itB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渇rustratingB次元官网网址� his government and Surrey arenB次元官网网址檛 on the same page. B次元官网网址淚 think there is a moment here to regroup with the city, to reset. It is very clear that the city will not be successful in any legal challenge, itB次元官网网址檚 a waste of taxpayer dollars, the Province is going in this direction, so letB次元官网网址檚 sit down, letB次元官网网址檚 move forward.B次元官网网址�

During her Monday presser Locke referenced an easel beside her podium displaying a B次元官网网址渧ery conservativeB次元官网网址� $464 million more attached to the SPS over keeping the RCMP over the next 10 years B次元官网网址� not including capital costs and two-officer patrol cars. B次元官网网址淭his is going to be a tremendous increase to taxes in Surrey,B次元官网网址� she warned. B次元官网网址淭hat is a minimum, an absolute minimum. That is money that should be left in the pockets of Surrey taxpayers at a time when affordability remains our number-one issue.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭his is going to be a tremendous increase to taxes in Surrey,B次元官网网址� she warned. B次元官网网址淭hat is a minimum, an absolute minimum. That is money that should be left in the pockets of Surrey taxpayers at a time when affordability remains our number-one issue.

B次元官网网址淲e will do everything always to protect our taxpayer,B次元官网网址� Locke said. B次元官网网址淚 will do everything always to protect our taxpayer.B次元官网网址�

The provincial government said it will provide Surrey with $150 million toward the cost of the transition but Locke says thatB次元官网网址檚 not nearly enough. Asked if his government will provide more money to Surrey, Eby said the B次元官网网址渂ig challengeB次元官网网址� is the longer the dispute is dragged out, the more expensive it gets. He said it behooves Surrey to B次元官网网址渟it down with the Province, not to be going to court to spend more money on lawyers on a decision thatB次元官网网址檚 already been made and will not be overturned by a court.

B次元官网网址淭he mayor fought a good fight, she raised a lot of important issues,B次元官网网址� Eby said, but B次元官网网址渘ow itB次元官网网址檚 time for us to sit down and sort it out.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭he Province has committed to Surrey that we will support them, we understand their additional costs here, we will be working with that and IB次元官网网址檓 happy to have those discussions with Surrey,B次元官网网址� Eby said.

On Oct. 13, the City of Surrey revealed it has filed a petition with the Supreme Court of British Columbia seeking a judicial review of FarnworthB次元官网网址檚 July 19 order to proceed with the SPS. The government has 21 days to file a response.

Asked what she thinks MondayB次元官网网址檚 development will have on SurreyB次元官网网址檚 case, Locke replied she B次元官网网址渃anB次元官网网址檛 speculate on anything with the courts. And again, we havenB次元官网网址檛 even really looked at the legislation so I canB次元官网网址檛 make any speculation in that regard.B次元官网网址�

Asked if this means checkmate for Surrey, Coun. Linda Annis replied, B次元官网网址淚 hope this means that weB次元官网网址檙e done and weB次元官网网址檙e moving forward with the transition. I do think the ministerB次元官网网址檚 saying enough is enough, we need to get on with it.B次元官网网址�

Locke did say of the legislation that Farnworth could have made his case last December, but did not.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 incredibly disappointing that this minister has taken so long to make a decision,B次元官网网址� she said, adding B次元官网网址渉e could have said a lot of what heB次元官网网址檚 saying today, he could have said it way back in December. He chose not to, so weB次元官网网址檙e in this position now.B次元官网网址�

Again on the $464 million cost, Locke said, B次元官网网址楾his is going to be generational, this is going to be forever. This is going to be for my kids, my grandkids, and we need to make sure that we have protected the taxpayer in our city.B次元官网网址�

During a press scrum after the Legislative AssemblyB次元官网网址檚 Monday sitting, when Farnworth was asked what will happen with SurreyB次元官网网址檚 court petition in light of the legislation, he replied that B次元官网网址渢he Province always has the ability to govern, and thatB次元官网网址檚 what weB次元官网网址檙e doing. The court process, thatB次元官网网址檚 up to the City of Surrey.B次元官网网址�

Asked when his ministry will file a formal response to SurreyB次元官网网址檚 court petition, Farnworth replied B次元官网网址渢hat work is done by the legal services branch and they make those decisions.B次元官网网址�

At Monday nightB次元官网网址檚 regular council meeting, Locke doubled down on Surrey councilB次元官网网址檚 majority position to stick with the RCMP.

She said sheB次元官网网址檚 instructed city staff to undertake a review of the policing transition, from day one to now. B次元官网网址淚 want us in Surrey to have a clear understanding of what has transpired over the last five years.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淢y position, this councilB次元官网网址檚 position, has not changed,B次元官网网址� Locke said. B次元官网网址淚 continue to oppose the transition because of the extraordinary cost for Surrey taxpayers that will deliver no public safety benefit.B次元官网网址�

Locke added itB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渟imply not feasibleB次元官网网址� for Farnworth to say that a police service representing just 25 per cent of frontline officers today is best positioned to be SurreyB次元官网网址檚 police of jurisdiction.

B次元官网网址淭he SPS is top-heavy and itB次元官网网址檚 failed to recruit anywhere near the number of frontline officers needed to be the police of jurisdiction in the city. Surrey Police (Service) recruitment efforts are and will continue to be destabilizing for police services throughout Metro Vancouver and around the province. Let me be very clear again B次元官网网址� I will not sit on the sidelines and accept a provincial plan that will cost Surrey taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, lead to significant tax increases, and that will deliver no public safety benefit.B次元官网网址�