Surrey taxpayers on the hook whether city sticks with RCMP or not

Whether the transition to a municipal police force in Surrey goes ahead or is stopped, taxpayers are going to take a hit.

In a continuing war of words over a request by mayor Brenda Locke and her Surrey Connect majority council to halt the transition, Locke has claimed continuing the transition would require a 55 per cent property tax hike in 2023 on increased costs of $235 million over five years. The claim was immediately disputed by her political opponents who said it was another example of her “bully tactics.”

Halting the transition to the Surrey Police Service (SPS) also comes with costs, including the loss of sunk costs and at least $81 million in estimated severance.

Approved in 2020 by the provincial government, the transition to the SPS from the existing RCMP is well underway with more than $100 million spent and 375 officers and civilian support staff hired.