$21 million for Vancouver police, fire department cost overruns approved by council

At a meeting where Vancouver council approved $17 million in overspending by the police department, the mayor and police board faced some tough questions.

Vancouver city council has approved a substantial budget adjustment for the Vancouver Police Department and Vancouver Fire Rescue Services as both went over budget this year by a combined $21.6 million.

The VPD was $17 million over budget, largely due to overtime costs, protests and Task Force Barrage, an initiative aimed at tackling crime on the Downtown Eastside.

On Wednesday, VPD Chief Const. Steve Rai, as well as Vancouver Police Board chair Frank Chong fielded questions from opposition councillors about why the $5 million task force was never approved by council or the police board.

“Why is it coming to us now as an overtime expenditure when it in fact should have been properly and duly authorized through the board and through council?,” asked Green Coun. Pete Fry.

Chong answered, “We’ve been clear that there were some missteps with regard to the authorization process.”

“It should have gone through the police board first,” he added.

CTV News was first to report that Task Force Barrage was never sent to the police board for approval, despite B.C.’s Police Act stating the board is required to prepare and approve the provisional budget for the following year on an annual basis.

‘It wasn’t perfect’

On Wednesday, Mayor Ken Sim finally admitted the approval process on project barrage was “bumpy.”

“It wasn’t perfect,” he said. “Mistakes were made, and we acknowledge them.”

Coun. Rebecca Bligh, who is running for mayor next year with Vote Vancouver, said the public may be surprised to learn Wednesday’s Standing Committee on City Finance and Services meeting was the first time council debated the task force.

“It’s November, and it was launched ten months ago, without any budget approval or any approval of this council,” she said.

Bligh added that as elected representatives, council is mandated to uphold “the integrity, accountability and good governance of this chamber.”

“I absolutely question the mayor’s judgment on how this has been managed,” she said.

‘That’s a win’

Rai lauded the impact of the six-month task force, saying over 2,000 weapons were seized from the Downtown Eastside, and over 1,100 warrant arrests were made.

“That’s a win and that should be commended for the work of the officers,” he said.

Vancouver Fire Rescue Services had cost overruns of $4.6 million for fleet maintenance costs.

Chief Karen Fry said, the costs were anticipated but it was allocated in a different holding stream at city hall.

“It was inadvertently not put into the budget,” she said, adding that it has been corrected for next year’s budget.

On Nov. 12, council will discuss next year’s proposed $2.3 billion operating budget.

The VPD is asking for nearly half a billion dollars, while other department, like the park board, were asked to make millions in cuts to meet a mandate to freeze property tax increases in 2026.