Decision on Surrey policing decision coming Wednesday, Farnworth says

B.C.'s public safety minister will be announcing his decision on the future of policing in Surrey on Wednesday.

Mike Farnworth, asked about the timeline Monday, provided the date but wouldn’t say any more about the issue.

"You can expect I'll be making a decision and an announcement Wednesday," he told reporters.

Asked how he anticipates the decision will be received by officers and leadership with the Surrey Police Service and the RCMP, Farnworth said he expects both agencies will continue to make public safety in the city their priority.

"I have every confidence that they will continue to do that important that we all count on," he said.

In April, the province recommended that Surrey continue its transition to a municipal police force instead of keeping the RCMP as the agency of jurisdiction.

Mayor Brenda Locke and the majority on council, who campaigned on a platform of halting the transition and retaining the RCMP, did not accept the province's recommendation.

Surrey city council provided a report to the province last week detailing how they would meet the binding conditions the province said would need to be satisfied in order to keep the Mounties.