Penticton taxpayers were on the hook for more than $4.6 million in public safety costs from 2019 to 2023 due to provincial downloading, a new report submitted to council reveals.
The B.C. government has provided "inadequate" funding, according to the five-year internal review, with Penticton offsetting costs for bylaw, social development services and vandalism.
In May 害羞草研究所� after councillors Amelia Boultbee and Ryan Graham took aim at the province over what they believed were excessive local costs for public safety 害羞草研究所� city staff were directed to quantify the amount the B.C. government downloads to the municipality.
In 2023 alone, the report states that the province downloaded more than $2 million for public safety costs.
害羞草研究所淚n response to social challenges like the opioid crisis, mental health and addictions and homelessness, the city has allocated resources to enhance enforcement and public safety efforts and prioritize social planning for collaborative local solutions,害羞草研究所� Julie Czeck, the city's director of public safety and partnerships, said in response to the report.
害羞草研究所淒espite these efforts, sustained long-term support is hindered by inadequate revenue increases from higher levels of government.害羞草研究所�
The report also revealed that vandalism and social development downloading costs have hiked by 167 and 100 per cent, respectively, over the last five years.
Bylaw costs, meanwhile, have increased by 476 per cent since 2019.
Costs related to increased RCMP and fire department staffing were not included, although that had been requested by council.
害羞草研究所淭his report outlines the financial impacts of provincial downloading on city spending with respect to public safety, while acknowledging that there are additional impacts that cannot be quantified,害羞草研究所� said Czeck.
害羞草研究所淚t clearly shows the critical need for increased provincial funding."
The city's total budget for protective services has grown from $15.4M in 2019 to $22.8M in 2023. That represents a 48 per cent increase, the report added.
"Some of the increased costs can be attributed to the downloading of provincial responsibilities, but also reflects the growing pains of a small community evolving into a larger urban centre with urban-scale challenges," it reads.
Council will review the report, which also includes Penticton offsetting costs for site clean-up and street sanitation, at its next meeting on July 16.
害羞草研究所淭he province is not upholding its duty, particularly when it comes to public safety, and the City of Penticton is having to pick up that cost on a continuing basis,害羞草研究所� Boultbee said on May 21, when she and Graham presented a notice of motion directing staff to complete the report.
害羞草研究所淲e see this in the millions of dollars we spend, particularly in bylaw which is essentially making up for the fact that we still don害羞草研究所檛 have enough police officers."
