By Canadian Press

Surrey, B.C., to ask court to review provincial order to stay with municipal police

Oct 13, 2023 | 10:16 AM

SURREY, B.C. — The City of Surrey says it will file a petition with the Supreme Court of British Columbia for a judicial review of the provincial government’s order that forces it to continue the transition to a municipal police force.

The city was in the process of reverting to the RCMP when the provincial government ordered it to resume the shift to the Surrey Police Service. 

The court filing is the latest in a series of years-long disagreements over which force should police the city east of Vancouver.

Surrey was in the process of moving to the municipal force from the RCMP when Brenda Locke was elected as mayor on a promise to stop the transition. 

Mike Farnworth, B.C.’s solicitor general, ordered the process stopped earlier this year, citing public safety as a concern and noting the RCMP had 1,500 vacancies.

holiday check stops

Nanaimo motorists shine during province-wide crackdown

44m ago

targeted job action

Striking Nanaimo postal workers disrupt Purolator operations

4h ago

final flight

Massive Philippine Mars waterbomber preparing for final Island departure

8h ago

Locke says in a statement that the city is going to court because it can’t accept the extraordinary burden that taxpayers will face because of the province’s order.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 13, 2023. 

The Canadian Press