Opening a new, autonomous police detachment on April 1 will be a major change in the City of Pitt Meadows, but city staff say it won’t have a significant impact on the 2026 budget.
City council heard budget presentations from each of its department heads in two long meetings on Nov. 24 and 25.
Officer in charge Staff Sgt. Michelle Luca talked about the new detachment, which will be separate from the Ridge Meadows RCMP detachment shared with Maple Ridge. The new force will exclusively police Pitt Meadows and the Katzie First Nation.
The detachment will have an operating budget of $7.75 million, which represents 21 per cent of the total Pitt Meadows budget.
Luca noted there will be 24 full time officers, with four watches comprised of a corporal as watch commander and four constables as frontline officers. There will be the detachment commander (Luca), a sergeant, and a two members of a general investigative section.
She told council that 22 of the 24 positions are filled, and already there is more police presence in the community.
“It’s really exciting, and they’re all working here out of Pitt Meadows,” said Luca, noting they are stationed at the community policing office.
“They’re going to understand the local needs, the demographics, the geography, which strengthens our response, engagement, and operational continuity,” said Luca.
There’s also a budget for 9.5 support staff, from front counter clerks to custodial guards.
There should be no tax increase due to the transition to an autonomous detachment, said city CAO Mark Roberts, noting the city will get “tailored” policing in the same budget. He said council will also gain control the city’s own policing budget.
Roberts noted the detachment building is coming in on budget, and is in the final stages of paving and exterior works.
Coun. Tracy Elke asked Luca what is appealing for officers to work in Pitt Meadows.
Luca responded she is trying to build a detachment with a family feel, and noted the officers are appreciated by citizens.
“This community is phenomenal… the people like us here,” said Luca. “The members go outside, and people wave at them, they say ‘thank you for your service.’”
She noted it’s also a bustling detachment, in a small community, but surrounded by “urbania.”
“We see the same files that our partner cities have,” Luca said. ”We are still a busy city.”
Staff presented council with a proposed budget that will increase spending by $2.1 million, creating a tax increase of $180 for the average single family home, and a utility fee increase of $137, for a combined increase of $317 per year.
That’s an increase of about 6.5 per cent for the average single family dwelling assessed at $1.18 million.
That average property will see proposed property taxes of $3,250, plus $1,977 in utility fees, totalling $5,227. That’s before adding the school levy, BC Transit, BC Assessment Authority, Metro Vancouver, and the Municipal Finance Authority to the tax bill.
There is a capital plan to spend $21.2 million, mostly funded from reserves and grants. Major projects include two artificial turf fields for $3.8 million, a covered multi-sport box for $3.4 million, and Kennedy Pump Station replacement at $3.6 million.
These numbers could change during budget deliberations in December.