The City of Surrey has recently revealed the amount of money it spent on its legal challenge against the provincial government’s plan to transition from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to a municipal police force.
According to documents obtained by CTV News, the city spent a total of $869,000 on legal fees related to the police transition. This includes $500,000 for external legal counsel and $369,000 for internal legal services.
The legal challenge was launched by the city in March 2019, after the provincial government announced its decision to replace the RCMP with a municipal police force in Surrey. The city argued that the decision was made without proper consultation and that it would result in increased costs for taxpayers.
The legal battle continued for over a year, with the city filing multiple court applications and appeals. However, in July 2020, the B.C. Supreme Court dismissed the city’s case, stating that the provincial government had the authority to make the decision to transition to a municipal police force.
Despite the court’s ruling, the city continued to pursue the matter and filed an appeal to the B.C. Court of Appeal. However, in March 2021, the city announced that it was dropping the appeal, citing the high costs of continuing the legal battle.
The total amount spent on legal fees for the police transition challenge is significantly higher than the initial estimate of $200,000 provided by the city in 2019. This has raised concerns among taxpayers about the city’s decision to pursue the legal challenge.
In response to these concerns, the city stated that the legal fees were necessary to protect the interests of Surrey residents and ensure that the transition to a municipal police force was done in a fair and transparent manner.
The transition to a municipal police force in Surrey is still ongoing, with the new police force expected to be fully operational by April 2022. The city has stated that it will continue to work closely with the provincial government to ensure a smooth and successful transition.
As the legal battle comes to an end, the City of Surrey has spent a significant amount of money on legal fees for its challenge against the police transition. While the outcome may not have been what the city had hoped for, it is clear that the city was committed to protecting the interests of its residents and ensuring a fair process.
