Brazeau County is joining calls of concern regarding changes to the Police Funding Model announced by the Government of Alberta last year.
In December, the Alberta government announced that beginning in the 2026-27 fiscal year, municipalities with populations under 5,000 will cover 22 per cent of front-line policing costs, with a gradual increase to 30 per cent over the next five years.
Alberta Municipalities (ABmunis), the Town of Onoway, the Town of Mayerthorpe and other communities have expressed concerns about the impact of this increased cost to residents and municipal budgets. In Mayerthorpe, for example, RCMP costs are projected to increase by 320 per cent over the next five years.
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Read more:
- Onoway, ABmunis share concerns about higher rural policing costs
- Mayerthorpe echoes calls of alarm regarding increasing rural policing costs
- Police Funding Model changes could “break” small communities, says Onoway mayor
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During its regular meeting on Feb. 17, Brazeau County council opted to write a letter to Drayton Valley–Devon MLA Andrew Boitchenko and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services
Mike Ellis to oppose the changes.
The county says the new model forces municipalities to pay significantly more, “without transparency, governance, or clear justification.”
County officials add that the changes do not recognize or credit the county’s existing public safety investments, such as enhanced patrols and administrative RCMP positions.
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