Report to Council: West Kelowna demands details from Province on policing changes

Date of issue: Friday, Sept. 12, 2025

The City of West Kelowna is calling on the provincial government and the RCMP to present a clear financial and operational plan before the area’s policing has been fully split into smaller units, dividing West Kelowna from Kelowna, and to fund an additional seven to eight provincial members to address the substantial officer shortfall.

The RCMP has been preparing for the “modernization” or “de-regionalization” of police in the Central Okanagan since 2024 without presenting the City of West Kelowna Council with a clear plan on how policing will be impacted, leaving uncertainty on how resources will be allocated and any additional costs of the changes. A City staff report will be presented to West Kelowna City Council on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025.

The City has been clear with the Province and the RCMP that the lack of a clear plan is unacceptable. There are unanswered questions, and the provincial government needs to step up to slow down this break-up until all communities affected see a clear, safe, principled plan.

The City staff report notes there remains a lack of clarity about the economic impact to taxpayers due to the proposed changes. The City of West Kelowna will always cover its fair share of costs of policing West Kelowna, but the financial implications from this service model change are not clear and must be considered by Mayor and Council. The provincial government needs to resource policing in rural areas, Westbank First Nation, and along major highways.

The Province must do their part. Reports have validated the City’s ongoing concerns about the underfunding of provincial policing resources and the impact this shortfall of provincial officers has on services to the Westside, including to Peachland and Westbank First Nation. While West Kelowna Mayor and Council have long requested increases to the number of provincial RCMP members, this shortfall continues to be subsidized by local governments.

City staff has repeatedly written to the RCMP to request a formal proposal – but they haven’t provided that. At the end of the month, Mayor and Council will meet with Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Nina Krieger at UBCM and will have the opportunity to demand that the provincial government step in and slow down this transition until Mayor and Council are presented with a clear, fiscally responsible plan where everyone contributes fairly and equitably.