Canmore to create policing committee under new provincial mandate

Cyclists ride through downtown Canmore, Alta., on April 24, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)

Canmore will soon have a municipal governance committee following changes to provincial legislation.

Canmore council approved the creation of the committee at its Feb. 4 meeting. It will be formally established and members selected at council’s annual organizational meeting in October.

The committee won’t have authority over operational direction, but serves as an opportunity to provide feedback in setting priorities and performance goals in the community.

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“I know that this is something that is required of us by the province, but I am also cautiously optimistic that having a voice as a community in how we are policed is something that is beneficial to us,” said Coun. Tanya Foubert.

The provincial government made changes last September for every Alberta community with RCMP to be represented by a governance body that is dependent on the size of the municipality and type of police service agreement.

Municipalities with a population of 5,000 to 15,000 could join a regional committee or form their own committee. The Town of Banff approved its committee in January rather than seek a regional approach. For communities with 15,000 people or more such as Canmore, a specific committee for the municipality is mandated.

The Town previously had a Municipal Policing Committee from 2009-19, but it was repealed since it wasn’t mandatory under the Police Act and there weren’t regulations to have one.

However, the municipal police service agreement model and public engagement on policing priorities was used, with the intention of being more efficient while maintaining the same or improved results over its predecessor.

A presentation to council indicated prior to the mandate by the province, it was not recommended by local police and Town staff to reinstate the Municipal Policing Committee.

A staff report noted the Town and RCMP detachment have long had a strong working relationship, noting the police engaged the community on needs and priorities.

“The detachment commander regularly shares updates and statistics through the committee of the whole administrative updates, participates in the annual policing priorities process with elected officials and administration, and looks for opportunities to engage directly with the community,” stated a staff report from Caitlin Miller, the Town’s manager of protective services. “The Canmore RCMP detachment has a strong culture of collaboration and coordination with Town departments, and the detachment commander regularly meets with administration to discuss community public safety trends.”

A Municipal Policing Committee is required to be comprised of between three and seven members appointed by the respective municipality, members of the public, and a maximum of two local council members.

The purpose of the committee will serve to enhance civilian governance of local policing, which the Alberta government expects to be achieved through the fulfillment of duties such as overseeing the administration of the municipality’s police service agreement, representing the interests and concerns of both the public and council and developing a yearly plan of priorities and strategies for municipal policing.

A community safety plan would also be created and reported annually, or at the request of the province, on the implementation of and updates to programs and services.

Town staff recommended five municipal appointees, including one council member.

“I do support the establishment so that we are in compliance with the provincial requirements and regulations. [I] look forward to having our questions answered prior to the organizational meeting in October, so that we can ensure that this board is equipped with people having the proper clearance and the proper training and are, therefore, able to perform the duties as set out in the regulations,” said Mayor Sean Krausert.