Halifax officials surprised as RCMP scales back satellite policing office plans
Halifax police board members and councillors expressed disappointment after the RCMP announced it cannot financially support a planned physical office in Fall River and is treating a Timberlea location as a pilot project. The two newly hired teams are currently operating from existing detachments.
Members of the Halifax Board of Police Commissioners and local councillors say they were caught off guard by the RCMP’s decision to alter plans for newly approved satellite community policing offices in Fall River and the Beechville, Lakeside, Timberlea (BLT) area.
Last year, two teams of six officers each were hired to improve visibility and local response in those communities. However, at a Monday meeting, RCMP members stated they are unable to financially support a physical office in Fall River right now. The RCMP also described the Timberlea office as being in the process of becoming a "pilot" project.
According to a staff report, the new Fall River team is currently working out of the Lower Sackville detachment, while the Timberlea team is based in Tantallon. Board chair Greg O’Malley said the changes were both surprising and disappointing, noting they are misaligned with previous messages from Halifax RCMP and recommendations from bodies like the Mass Casualty Commission. O'Malley added that it cost Halifax about $2 million for both new teams, funding he noted would not have been approved if the goal was merely improving response times from other detachments.
Meaghan Stewart, director of administration and personnel for Nova Scotia RCMP headquarters, stated the decision to pursue Timberlea alone as a pilot was made internally. Stewart cited a new provincial billing model for municipalities contracting the RCMP as a factor in the timing of the change, offering cost savings.
A letter from the provincial justice department estimates Halifax will pay about $42.4 million for the RCMP this fiscal year under the new model, compared to $44.7 million previously. The approximately $2 million difference must be reinvested in public safety projects outside traditional policing under provincial direction.
Councillors criticized the shift. Councillor Becky Kent stated that expectations have not been met and called for the RCMP to revisit the satellite offices plan. Coun. Cathy Deagle Gammon noted that Fall River residents explicitly requested an accessible RCMP presence with office hours.
The Halifax RCMP indicated it is not requesting new officers or investments for the upcoming 2027-28 budget.