- The current RCMP contract expires on March 31, 2012.
- The Province reached an Agreement-in-Principle with the federal government in November 2011.
- Since then, the Province and the other jurisdictions it represented in the negotiations have been working toward final language changes that reflect bilateral elements unique to their jurisdictions.
- In January, the Province provided engagement sessions for local governments through UBCM and negotiators subsequently finalized the language in the municipal-level agreements.
- The agreement has a 20-year term, however, all contract parties will be able to review the contract every five years, and will continue to be able to opt out of the contract with two years’ notice.
- The basic cost-sharing formulae remain the same. Small municipalities with a population between 5,000 and 15,000 will continue to pay 70 per cent of their contract costs, and municipalities with a population over 15,000 will continue to pay 90 per cent.
- The new contract is the result of four years of negotiations that B.C. led at the provincial and territorial level on behalf of six jurisdictions and more than 60 B.C. municipalities (Alberta and Saskatchewan sought bilateral agreements with the federal government in August 2011).