Premier David Eby鈥檚 best estimate on when Surrey will learn what his government鈥檚 decision is on the city鈥檚 policing transition is in 鈥渃oming weeks.鈥�

But Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke suspects it may come sooner.

鈥淲e are very cautiously optimistic this will be resolved in the next week or so,鈥� Locke told the Now-Leader on Friday. 鈥淢y hope is by next week I know where Surrey is on answering the questions for the ministry so I鈥檓 very hopeful we鈥檙e going to be able to have some kind of resolution by the end of next week, maybe the week after.鈥�

Still, 鈥渃oming weeks鈥� was Eby鈥檚 response after the Now-Leader asked him during a presser in Surrey on Friday if he could provide at least a ballpark timeline on when Surrey will have a decision from his government.

鈥淲e鈥檙e expecting final information from the city of Surrey in the coming weeks and once that information has been confirmed by the ministry of the solicitor general and that they鈥檙e satisfied that public safety has been addressed in any plan that Surrey鈥檚 putting forward, the matter will be remitted to Surrey to proceed as is their ability to do, which is the best direction that they think the city of Surrey should move forward on,鈥� Eby said.

He said he recognizes there is 鈥渉uge urgency鈥� on the part of Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke, city council and Surrey residents that the issue gets resolved. 鈥淲e鈥檙e working hard at the provincial level with City of Surrey staff to clarify the numbers and the plan to make sure that we鈥檙e discharging our duty and get this back as quickly as possible to Surrey鈥檚 hands.鈥�

Premiere Eby responding to question on the timeline of the policing transition in Surrey

鈥� Anna 亚洲天堂 (@AnnaB亚洲天堂)

The RCMP has been Surrey鈥檚 police of jurisdiction since it took over from the Surrey Police on May 1, 1951, as the result of a plebiscite. Surrey鈥檚 is the largest RCMP detachment in all of Canada.

On Nov. 5th, 2018, the council of the day, led by mayor Doug McCallum, served notice to the provincial and federal governments that it would end its contract with the RCMP to set up its own force.

Four years and one civic election later, on Nov. 14, 2022, the current council led by Locke decided on a 5-4 vote to maintain the Surrey RCMP as this city鈥檚 police of jurisdiction instead of forging ahead with the Surrey Police Service.

Both camps in this acrimonious struggle roundly slammed Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth鈥檚 announcement on Thursday, Jan. 26 that more information was needed from either side to 鈥渋nform further consideration鈥� as to whether Surrey should maintain the RCMP as its police department of jurisdiction or continue with the transition to the Surrey Police Service from the RCMP.

鈥淭he longer two police agencies are operating with this uncertainty, the more taxpayer dollars are being unnecessarily spent. The instability needs to come to an end, and a timely response is critical,鈥� Locke fumed at the time.

The Surrey Police Board, which is set to next meet on Feb. 22, also lamented that delay, stating in a press release it is 鈥渦nfortunate that a matter of such critical importance to the community is being delayed.鈥�

Asked Friday if he can鈥檛 narrow the timeline to something other that coming weeks, Eby replied that the 鈥渃hallenge鈥� is that the solicitor general has a statutory responsibility to ensure public safety in the transition plan.

鈥淲e鈥檙e certainly aware of the urgency at the provincial level and the critical piece is that there is a credible transition plan that everybody can have confidence that that public safety piece is crossed off, and once we can do that then we鈥檙e ready to go.鈥�

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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