‘Caught in the middle:’ Coaldale only Canadian community of its size responsible for all policing costs

A Coaldale RCMP cruiser is shown in an undated photo.

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. -

The Alberta government is stepping in to help the Town of Coaldale after what the town's mayor calls an ‘eight-year fight’ with the federal government over a cost-sharing agreement over RCMP services.

The fight began when the town returned to RCMP policing in 2016. Under federal guidelines, the town is considered a new entrant to the Mounties, so it’s up to the municipality to cover 100 per cent of their policing costs.

That's not how Coaldale mayor Jack Van Rijn sees it.

“We fall between the 5,000 and 15,000 population where the federal government should be paying 30 per cent of policing costs,” explained Van Rijn.

“Our concerns are not with our local RCMP detachment," he added. "Our concerns are with their bosses in Ottawa.”

Coaldale mayor Jack Van Rijn says the RCMP should pay 30 perent of its policing costs.

Coaldale is home to just under 9,000 people. Other communities in Canada with a population between 5,000 and 15,000 are responsible for 70 per cent of their policing bill, while the federal government tackles the other 30 per cent. A federal cost-sharing agreement would save the town about $460,000 a year.

“We’re looking for new amenities such as a new swimming pool, a second sheet of ice, or just keeping our taxes down and for every 75,000 dollars,” outlined Van Rijn.  

“That equates to 1 percentage point that our residents are having to cover off for the shortfall of the  $400,000 plus that we're not getting.”

RCMP have been policing the town for the last six years and before that Lethbridge Police covered the community for eleven years. From 1954 to 2003 Coaldale had their own police service and prior to that RCMP policed the town dating back to turn of the century, which is why Coaldale’s mayor doesn't believe they should be considered new entrants.

Coaldale is home to just under 9,000 people. Other communities in Canada with a population between 5,000 and 15,000 are responsible for 70 per cent of their policing bill, while the federal government tackles the other 30 per cent. A federal cost-sharing agreement would save the town about $460,000 a year.

“The town of Coaldale historically was policed by the RCMP in the early 1900s, and we supplied all the documentation to the federal government to prove our case,” said Van Rijn.

Alberta’s justice minister calls Coaldale ‘a community caught in the middle’ and is calling on the federal government to pay 30 percent of the town's policing. 

“It’s not a contract with the RCMP, it’s a contract with the federal government,” said Tyler Shandro. 

“The federal government has not been responsive to our communities in Alberta, to making sure that people are treated equitably, that we have the resources that we need throughout our communities to ensure public safety.”

The UCP government has also floated the idea of creating a provincial police service. Shandro says if one is created the province is committed to honouring the current cost-sharing agreement in all communities.