SURREY, BC – On December 2, 2019 the City of Surrey approved the 2020 City Budget and 5 Year Financial Plan.
The Surrey Board of Trade issued a formal response to the budget by the November 28th deadline and presented to the City of Surrey Finance Committee at the Public Hearing on December 2nd.
“The message to the City of Surrey Finance Committee (Mayor and Council) was that the City Budget needed to have an economic development focus, which includes investments in Surrey’s public safety infrastructure – police and fire services,” said Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade.
The Surrey Board of Trade will be issuing a formal letter to both sides of the BC Government (Minister of Public Safety & Solicitor General Mike Farnworth and the BC Liberal Solicitor General and Public Safety Critic, Mike Morris) to immediately assess the Surrey situation which again results in no human capital investments to police and fire services in the short term.
“This is important to Surrey’s city-building business organization because a continued lack of investments in police and fire services compromises businesses – and the expedient and efficient delivery of these services when needed.”
In 2020, and in the short-term, there will be no police or fire service personnel additions, despite Surrey’s growing population of 800-1000, per month.
“Surrey needs to continue to be an opportunity city – this includes an effective delivery of its public safety infrastructure.”
“The Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General must ensure that an adequate and effective level of policing and law enforcement is maintained throughout British Columbia as per the Police Act of BC. The Policing and Security Branch has been tasked with maintaining policing in municipalities.
“Today, the Surrey Board of Trade will be issuing a letter to Minister Farnworth and the Policing and Security Branch to investigate whether Surrey has an adequate level of policing.”
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