The Prince George RCMP will cost the city $26.9 million this year, according to a budget approved by city council this week, an $820,607 increase as policing continues to be the most expensive of the city's services.
Nearly $600,000 of the hike is related to the city's contract with the RCMP.
"All municipalities that use the RCMP in British Columbia would be impacted by those same increases to the police contracts and that's driven by what members are paid and benefits associated with the members," community services general manager Rob Whitwham told council on Monday.
On the bright side, it was noted that the detachment is at a full complement and the detachment is not asking for more officers.
Police operations, which pays for municipal employees who provide support services to RCMP, will rise nearly $146,000, while the cost of keeping an eye on prisoners in the detachment cellblock will go up nearly $66,000.
Whitwham said much of the increase in the cost of guarding prisoners is in answer to recommendations made by a jury in September at the coroner's inquest into an in-custody death.
Jamie Wilford Shanoss, 51,died as a result of acute alcohol poisoning during the early morning of Nov. 21, 2016 while in cells at the detachment.
The jury recommended a review of training and procedures for guards.
"At that time administration took the opportunity to look at how that cellblock is being managed by city staff and we thought that some reorganization and some additional resources there would help to alleviate that situation and reduce some of the risks," Whitwham said.
The jury also recommended Northern Health establish a sobering centre, where people who are intoxicated but have not committed a crime can be dropped off to sober up under medical supervision.
Northern Health public health officer Andrew Gray has said the authority is looking at the possibility.
Mayor Lyn Hall called the $820,607 increase "significant" but noted the detachment did not seek any "asks" from the city this year. He also said a more visible presence downtown will continue to be a theme whenever he talks about how RCMP resources should be used.
Council also discussed how to deal with the opioid crisis and how to treat those who have committed crimes in other communities but choose to stay in the city after being released from Prince George Regional Correctional Centre. RCMP Supt. Warren Brown has said they have been a major source of crime in Prince George.
Councillors generally agreed that such issues come with being a regional centre.
"Where we are located geographically means we receive a tremendous amount of folks that require care," Hall said. "I want to see the federal government and province recognize Prince George as a central hub and we provide those central hub services."
- The city's second-priciest service, fire protection, will cost $17.8 million, a $700,767 increase, also due to rising wages, salaries and benefits.
All told, the increases to police protection and fire protection add up to about $1.5 million which accounts for about 1.5 per cent of the property tax levy,
Coun. Garth Frizzell noted, but added he has no trouble with that. "I don't have trouble increase the protection for the people...we want it, we called for it, we're paying for it," he said.
- The emergency services budget has been set at $216,805 - a $70,311 increase with the hiring of a new emergency services coordinator to handle such incidents as the influx of wildfire evacuees into the city during the last two summers.
Coun. Frank Everitt said it will be money well spent.
"We have certainly seen the benefits of somebody in that position," he said. "As the province struggled with what they were going to do, we were fortunate enough to have someone we could contact to get the resources to look after the people who came in here."
Final numbers from the 2018 influx are still to come but, according to figures provided to council, emergency fire response in 2017 cost the city a net total of $334,173, with the city receiving $4.4 million in support from senior levels and other sources while spending $4.8 million on the item.
