Editorial
The District of Invermere will have a lot of planning (and budgeting) to do in the next few years —not just to address the housing situation, but rising policing costs.
Like the growing pains experienced by the Town of Oliver, Invermere taxpayers will be on the hook for a skyrocketing increase as they must pay 70 per cent for policing when the population reaches 5,000. Once that magic number is reached, a new contract is necessary to provide policing services (at a much higher price).
In the 2021 census, Statistics Canada reported that Invermere was sitting at 3,917 population, up from 3,391 in 2016. The next census is May 2026, and while this little hamlet will not reach 5,000 then, it will need to consider some serious budgeting after 2025
Oliver was smart and bit the bullet early by budgeting a nine per cent increase per year to pay the hefty price, which amounted to nearly an additional million dollars.
There was some griping, to be expected, but nine per cent was a lot better than getting hit with 18 or 27 per cent in one fell swoop.
Both Oliver and the Town of Osoyoos did receive more officers when hit 5,000 population (under their new contracts).
The moral of the story: Invermere council will have to start thinking and planning for the inevitable, and taxpayers will have to prepare themselves for these tax hikes.
In the meantime, residents can help the Columbia Valley RCMP by offering an extra set of eyes and ears. This means reporting suspicious behaviour when it happens (not the day after). This means locking up valuables and properly identifying them in case they are stolen (photographs and serial numbers help a great deal). And don’t keep Christmas gifts in your vehicle (in plain sight); thieves love seeing these presents which they can quickly turn into cash. Oh, you left your door unlocked —even better, the thief mumbles under his breath while rubbing his hands with glee.
Residents also need to understand that the RCMP can’t be everywhere at once. They receive multiple calls every week, and if officers are busy investigating a break-in or motor vehicle accident, the theft of a generator from your shed will have to wait.
Policing is certainly not what it used to be. Officers must now deal with many social problems, such as homelessness and mental health crises – issues that are tearing apart communities and causing more hazards. And then we have the legal system (don’t call it the justice system anymore) that often undermines what police are trying to do to keep our neighbourhoods safe. One disgruntled fellow told the Pioneer that not long after police arrest and file their report on a criminal, that person is released and on the street again within hours. Doesn’t make a career in law enforcement very enticing, does it?
Lyonel Doherty, editor
