Date set for Surrey Police Service to take over from RCMP: Farnworth
A date has been set for the Surrey Police Service to replace the RCMP and become the police of jurisdiction in B.C.'s fastest-growing city.
The SPS will take over on Nov. 29, 2024, Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth announced Tuesday.
"We have reached a major milestone in this transition journey," he said at a news conference.
"More than anything, the people of Surrey want this to be over. Today we are turning the page on this chapter."
The date does not mean the transition will be complete – finalizing it is a process Farnworth estimated will take at least two years. The SPS and the RCMP will continue work side by side, as they have been throughout the transition. As new SPS officers are hired, Mounties will be redeployed.
"The agreed upon pathway is consistent with the existing legislative framework and can occur in a way that will not require RCMP to delegate their authority or be under the command of another agency," Farnworth said. "Rather, the two police agencies will work together under a collaborative arrangement."
Tuesday's announcement is the latest development in the years-long fight over who will police the city and Farnworth urged any leery observers to take note of the fact that he was flanked by the heads of both police agencies.
"Has it taken time to get to where we are? Yes, in part, because the city of Surrey has refused to be at the table. But the reality is, we are moving this transition forward," he said.
"We're all here, which tells you that we're all on the same page in moving the transition forward," he said.
Mayor Brenda Locke campaigned on keeping RCMP and the City of Surrey has taken the fight to court, seeking a judicial review of the province's moves to advance the transition.
She did not make herself available for an interview Tuesday, instead releasing a statement making it clear that her position on the matter and her plans remain the same.
"Aside from setting an aspirational date, nothing else has changed. Minister Farnworth’s 'announcement' today is simply another desperate attempt by the province to demonstrate some kind of progress on this issue, mere days before the matter is heard in court," she said.
Locke also maintained that no "substantial" progress has been made since the transition began five years ago and that replacing the RCMP is something that is neither fiscally responsible nor in the interest of public safety in the city.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
2-hour wildfire evacuation notice issued for some Fort McMurray neighbourhoods
A wildfire evacuation alert for some Fort McMurray residents has been updated to a two-hour evacuation notice.
Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
Maximum payout for LifeLabs class-action drops from $150 estimate to $7.86
Canadian LifeLabs customers who filed an application for a class-action settlement began receiving their payments this week, though at a much lower amount than initially expected.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
1 killed, 3 injured in head-on crash on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa
Ontario Provincial Police are responding to a fatal collision involving two vehicles on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end on Tuesday morning.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Significant police presence as Israeli flag flies at Ottawa City Hall
The Israeli flag is flying at Ottawa City Hall today to mark the country's national day, with plans to hold a private ceremony to mark Israel's Independence Day. There is a significant police presence at City Hall, including security barriers outside the main doors.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence for 10 years under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
8 dead, at least 40 injured as farmworkers' bus overturns in central Florida
A bus carrying farmworkers in central Florida overturned on Tuesday, killing eight people and injuring about 40 other passengers, authorities said.