The Alberta RCMP said it will continue providing policing services without interruption following the Alberta Next Panel’s recommendation to establish a new Alberta Police Service.
In a statement, Alberta RCMP Deputy Commissioner Trevor Daroux said decisions about policing ultimately rest with the provincial government, but the RCMP will remain focused on public safety.
“What we do control is how we serve. Every day, the Alberta RCMP shows up to protect, support and partner with communities across this province — professionally, impartially and independently,” Daroux said.
The RCMP provides policing for roughly 40 per cent of Albertans and covers about 95 per cent of the province’s geography. Officials said this includes around 20 per cent of the population in rural areas and another 20 per cent through municipal contracts in communities including Red Deer and Brooks.
Daroux acknowledged that staffing levels and police visibility are key concerns for rural Albertans, but added the RCMP has made progress. Since April 2024, the force has received more than 4,600 applications, resulting in an increased officer presence. Recent funding has added 279 officers, 242 civilian positions and expanded programs such as the Real-Time Operations Centre, drone operations, and a third specialized Emergency Response Team.
“These investments place the Alberta RCMP on the leading edge of modern policing in Canada,” Daroux said.
He also noted that the force recently helped bring a swift conclusion to a dangerous situation in the County of Grande Prairie, and that crime rates in the province have fallen to their lowest levels in five years.
Daroux said while uncertainty over the province’s future policing model affects both communities and RCMP employees, Albertans can be reassured that public safety will not be compromised.
“Our priority remains unchanged. That priority is — and will always be — the people of Alberta,” he said.
Continuing work on establishing an Alberta Police Service to take over rural and small-city policing from the RCMP was one of several recommendations in the Alberta Next Panel’s Dec. 19 report.
The panel, chaired by Premier Danielle Smith, held 10 in-person town halls across the province and an online forum, with more than 5,000 Albertans participating. Livestreams of the meetings have had roughly 800,000 views, and the online surveys and feedback portals received tens of thousands of responses.
“For too long, decisions made outside this province have limited Alberta’s ability to grow our economy and chart our own course,” Smith said. “We’ve received the panel’s recommendations and will review them carefully before responding in the months ahead.”
Other recommendations included building and supporting institutions for responsible self-government to reduce the province’s reliance on Ottawa, providing a detailed Alberta Pension Plan proposal with a provincial referendum only after Albertans review it, and conducting a cost-benefit analysis on Alberta collecting its own personal income taxes without scheduling a referendum at this time. The report also recommended leading discussions with other provinces and the federal government on reforming equalization and fiscal federalism, holding a provincial referendum on greater control over immigration, and holding a referendum on constitutional amendments to protect provincial jurisdiction, including the right to opt out of federal programs, appoint provincial judges, and abolish the federal Senate.
The provincial government will review the panel’s recommendations in the coming months before deciding which measures to adopt. No final decisions have been made.
