Jan 30, 2025

Town opposes Province’s planned download of police dispatch costs

Ladysmith, BC — The Town of Ladysmith opposes an anticipated Provincial download of policing dispatch costs onto taxpayers.

On April 1, 2025, the B.C. government intends to download police dispatch costs onto Ladysmith and nine other municipalities on the South Island. The other municipalities include North Cowichan, Duncan, Langford, Colwood, Metchosin, North Saanich, Sidney, Sooke and View Royal.

Should the Province move ahead with the download, the estimated annual cost to the Town of Ladysmith will be approximately $221,000, equating to a 2.6% tax increase in the first year.

In a unified show of opposition, Acting Mayor Tricia McKay along with the other nine mayors of the affected municipalities held a press conference on the steps of the B.C. Legislature on January 30, 2025, at 10:00 am to advocate fairness for their communities.

"The Town of Ladysmith is opposing the unfair downloading of police dispatch costs onto our taxpayers. This decision not only disregards the principles of fairness and equity but also places a disproportionate burden on small municipalities like Ladysmith. I strongly urge the Province to reconsider this decision and work collaboratively with the Town of Ladysmith and the other affected municipalities to find an equitable solution that works for all of us,” says Acting Mayor, Tricia McKay.

The Town has also co-signed a joint letter with the nine other municipalities, urging the Province to maintain 100% transition funding until an E-Comm review is completed and introduce a telecommunications levy to help offset 911 dispatch costs—a model that has been successfully implemented in other provinces, such as Ontario.

The full letter can be viewed here.

In 2014, the Province switched police dispatch for Ladysmith and nine other municipalities to RCMP E-Comm 9-1-1 without consultation. In late 2020, the Province announced it would shift all E-Comm costs onto these municipalities. Meanwhile, other Provincial Operational Communications Centres (OCCs) in B.C. still receive full funding. The estimated cost for E-Comm dispatch from April to December 2025 for the 10 impacted municipalities is $4.9 million and will rise further in 2026.

For the latest news and updates, visit the Town’s website at www.ladysmith.ca, as well as Facebook and Instagram.

The Town of Ladysmith respectfully acknowledges that we gather and work on the unceded territory of the Stz'uminus First Nation, the traditional keepers of this land.

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Media Contact
Nicholas Pescod
Communications & Engagement Specialist
npescod@ladysmith.ca
250-268-0606