Premier David Eby害羞草研究所檚 best estimate on when Surrey will learn what his government害羞草研究所檚 decision is on the city害羞草研究所檚 policing transition is in 害羞草研究所渃oming weeks.害羞草研究所�
But Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke suspects it may come sooner.
害羞草研究所淲e are very cautiously optimistic this will be resolved in the next week or so,害羞草研究所� Locke told the Now-Leader on Friday. 害羞草研究所淢y hope is by next week I know where Surrey is on answering the questions for the ministry so I害羞草研究所檓 very hopeful we害羞草研究所檙e going to be able to have some kind of resolution by the end of next week, maybe the week after.害羞草研究所�
Still, 害羞草研究所渃oming weeks害羞草研究所� was Eby害羞草研究所檚 response after the Now-Leader asked him during a presser in Surrey on Friday if he could provide at least a ballpark timeline on when Surrey will have a decision from his government.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e expecting final information from the city of Surrey in the coming weeks and once that information has been confirmed by the ministry of the solicitor general and that they害羞草研究所檙e satisfied that public safety has been addressed in any plan that Surrey害羞草研究所檚 putting forward, the matter will be remitted to Surrey to proceed as is their ability to do, which is the best direction that they think the city of Surrey should move forward on,害羞草研究所� Eby said.
He said he recognizes there is 害羞草研究所渉uge urgency害羞草研究所� on the part of Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke, city council and Surrey residents that the issue gets resolved. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e working hard at the provincial level with City of Surrey staff to clarify the numbers and the plan to make sure that we害羞草研究所檙e discharging our duty and get this back as quickly as possible to Surrey害羞草研究所檚 hands.害羞草研究所�
Premiere Eby responding to question on the timeline of the policing transition in Surrey
害羞草研究所� Anna Burns (@AnnaBBurns)
The RCMP has been Surrey害羞草研究所檚 police of jurisdiction since it took over from the Surrey Police on May 1, 1951, as the result of a plebiscite. Surrey害羞草研究所檚 is the largest RCMP detachment in all of Canada.
On Nov. 5th, 2018, the council of the day, led by mayor Doug McCallum, served notice to the provincial and federal governments that it would end its contract with the RCMP to set up its own force.
Four years and one civic election later, on Nov. 14, 2022, the current council led by Locke decided on a 5-4 vote to maintain the Surrey RCMP as this city害羞草研究所檚 police of jurisdiction instead of forging ahead with the Surrey Police Service.
Both camps in this acrimonious struggle roundly slammed Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth害羞草研究所檚 announcement on Thursday, Jan. 26 that more information was needed from either side to 害羞草研究所渋nform further consideration害羞草研究所� as to whether Surrey should maintain the RCMP as its police department of jurisdiction or continue with the transition to the Surrey Police Service from the RCMP.
害羞草研究所淭he longer two police agencies are operating with this uncertainty, the more taxpayer dollars are being unnecessarily spent. The instability needs to come to an end, and a timely response is critical,害羞草研究所� Locke fumed at the time.
The Surrey Police Board, which is set to next meet on Feb. 22, also lamented that delay, stating in a press release it is 害羞草研究所渦nfortunate that a matter of such critical importance to the community is being delayed.害羞草研究所�
Asked Friday if he can害羞草研究所檛 narrow the timeline to something other that coming weeks, Eby replied that the 害羞草研究所渃hallenge害羞草研究所� is that the solicitor general has a statutory responsibility to ensure public safety in the transition plan.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e certainly aware of the urgency at the provincial level and the critical piece is that there is a credible transition plan that everybody can have confidence that that public safety piece is crossed off, and once we can do that then we害羞草研究所檙e ready to go.害羞草研究所�
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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