The City of Surrey has lost the judicial review related to the Surrey policing transition. Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke said Thursday afternoon that the City香蕉视频直播檚 legal team is digesting the judge香蕉视频直播檚 decision and council will weigh its options.

Justice Kevin Loo of the B.C. Supreme Court on Thursday released his decision on the City香蕉视频直播檚 petition aimed at quashing Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth香蕉视频直播檚 July 19, 2023 order that the RCMP must be replaced by the Surrey Police Service.

Loo heard final submissions May 3, following a five-day hearing that began April 29 in Vancouver.

In his 26-page reasons for judgment, Loo addressed the City香蕉视频直播檚 argument that the Police Amendment Act, 2023 (PAA) infringed on Surrey voters香蕉视频直播� right to freedom of expression guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

香蕉视频直播淚 have concluded that although voting is undoubtedly a protected activity, the 香蕉视频直播榬esult香蕉视频直播� or 香蕉视频直播榤andate香蕉视频直播� arising from the 2022 municipal election are not activities which fall within the protected sphere of conduct guaranteed,香蕉视频直播� Loo decided.

香蕉视频直播淩egardless of whether the July decision was reasonable or within the Minister香蕉视频直播檚 authority, the provincial legislature香蕉视频直播檚 exercise of its authority over the City in respect of policing, through its enactment of the PAA, was valid.香蕉视频直播�

Locke said the court challenge revealed 香蕉视频直播渉uge holes香蕉视频直播� in the transition to the SPS 香蕉视频直播渙n multiple levels香蕉视频直播� and the 香蕉视频直播渢rue cost will have an extremely, extremely onerous impact on the City of Surrey and especially Surrey taxpayers.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚 haven香蕉视频直播檛 said we are going to appeal and I haven香蕉视频直播檛 said we are not going to appeal,香蕉视频直播� she stressed. 香蕉视频直播淚 didn香蕉视频直播檛 say we are going to continue with the fight.香蕉视频直播� If there were no transition, she added, 香蕉视频直播渢here would have been no 香蕉视频直播� zero 香蕉视频直播� tax increase in the City of Surrey in 2024.香蕉视频直播�

Farnworth held his press conference Thursday morning. 香蕉视频直播淭oday Justice Loo ruled in favour of the transition of the Surrey Police Service continuing,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭he safety of the people in Surrey and across British Columbia has always been my main priority.香蕉视频直播�

Farnworth held a press conference Thursday morning to announce that 香蕉视频直播渢oday Justice Loo ruled in favour of the transition of the Surrey Police Service continuing. The safety of the people in Surrey and across British Columbia has always been my main priority.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淧eople of Surrey want this to be over and I香蕉视频直播檓 hopeful that today香蕉视频直播檚 ruling is the time to come together and work towards completing the transition to the Surrey Police Service,香蕉视频直播� Farnworth said. 香蕉视频直播淧olice officers no matter the uniform that they wear dedicate their lives to keeping people safe and I know that today香蕉视频直播檚 ruling provides certainty to them and their families. To officers in the Surrey RCMP detachment, I know that work is already underway to ensure that your preferred placements are considered and my ministry is working closely with the RCMP as the transition continues.香蕉视频直播�

Farnworth told reporters it香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播減retty clear香蕉视频直播� in terms of the arguments the City brought before Loo 香蕉视频直播渁nd the judge dismissed them. That香蕉视频直播檚 it in a nutshell.香蕉视频直播�

In April Farnworth said the SPS will replace the RCMP as the city香蕉视频直播檚 police of jurisdiction on Nov. 29, 2024 and the transition will be complete within two to two-and-a-half years.

Locke announced in November that the City would challenge in court the 香蕉视频直播榗onstitutionality香蕉视频直播� of the provincial government香蕉视频直播檚 decision to replace the Surrey RCMP with the Surrey Police Service.

On Oct. 13, the City of Surrey filed its first petition with the Supreme Court of British Columbia. An amended petition to the Oct. 13 filing was then submitted to the court on Nov. 20 with Locke characterizing it as a 香蕉视频直播渟ignificant step to stop the NDP police service香蕉视频直播� and a reply to the provincial government香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播渁ttempted police takeover, which would require a double digit 香蕉视频直播� double digit 香蕉视频直播� NDP tax hike on Surrey taxpayers.香蕉视频直播�

As for the City, Farnworth said Thursday, 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檇 really like them to be at the table.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e made it clear that the $150 million is there,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚 think it would be really important if the City of Surrey is at the table working to ensure the transition is completed as smoothly and as quickly as possible,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭his has been a very challenging issue I think for everybody and with today香蕉视频直播檚 decision what I would like and I think the people of Surrey would want to see happen is that the City of Surrey comes to the table.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲hat matters the most is that the people of Surrey want this over and now with this court ruling they want the transition to continue with the City of Surrey working in collaboration with the Province,香蕉视频直播� Farnworth said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檒l be great if the City of Surrey is there but the transition is moving forward.香蕉视频直播�

Asked if he香蕉视频直播檚 anticipating the City will appeal Loo香蕉视频直播檚 decision, Farnworth replied he doesn香蕉视频直播檛 know what the City intends to do. 香蕉视频直播淚 expect that they will be reviewing it and any decisions, you know, they will decide what to do from there. I think what香蕉视频直播檚 important is the people of Surrey want this over and this decision certainly indicates that, you know what, it香蕉视频直播檚 over.香蕉视频直播�

Locke said the extra cost to fund the transition will be in the range of $75 million more per year and this will have a negative impact on taxation and infrastructure projects as well. 香蕉视频直播淭he biggest concern for us right now is the enormous tax burden that is in front of us, the $75 million dollars,香蕉视频直播� Locke said, adding that 香蕉视频直播�$75 million is forever, and that will only escalate. We are looking at a generational decision that is being imposed on our city.香蕉视频直播�