SURREY, British Columbia — The Surrey Police Board has slashed nearly $47 million from the city's police budget for 2026, prompting sharp criticism from the Surrey Police Union, which warns that the cuts could jeopardize public safety amid an escalating extortion crisis.
The reduction of $46.95 million was approved in the provisional 2026 budget endorsed by the board in November, according to a statement from the union. This amount, the union said, equates to the annual cost of approximately 87 officers, based on an average cost per officer of $158,510. "Cutting nearly $47 million from policing at the 11th hour, while Surrey is facing an extortion crisis and while SPS is being asked to expand operations and assume additional districts, is reckless," said Ryan Buhrig, president of the Surrey Police Union, in the release. He added, "You cannot demand more policing, more visibility and more capacity while simultaneously gutting the resources needed to deliver it."
The timing of the cuts comes as the Surrey Police Service grapples with significant operational pressures. Just this week, Surrey Police Chief Norm Lipinski voiced concerns about the directive to take over District 4, which includes the Cloverdale area, from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police before the service has sufficient staffing. The union highlighted that this expansion is occurring against a backdrop of resource strain, with members already stretched thin by the city's ongoing extortion wave.
Surrey has been plagued by a surge in extortion cases targeting South Asian businesses, particularly in the construction and real estate sectors. According to Surrey police figures as of Monday, February 16, there have been 53 reported extortion incidents in the city since the start of the year. These include 11 instances of shots fired, two related arsons, and 31 victims, 17 of whom have been targeted multiple times. The crisis has drawn national attention, with the Canada Border Services Agency announcing on Tuesday that it has initiated investigations into 296 individuals flagged by the B.C. Extortion Task Force as persons of interest.
The CBSA's involvement underscores the international dimensions of the problem, as immigration enforcement officers review the files for potential inadmissibility to Canada. "As a result of these investigations, 32 people have been issued a removal order, including 10 people who have already been removed from Canada," the agency stated. This marks a sharp increase from early February, when the task force reported just over 100 CBSA investigations underway as of February 4.
Union representatives emphasized the human toll on officers. "Our members are under tremendous stress," Buhrig told Global News on Thursday. "We have an unprecedented extortion crisis in Surrey that’s drawing members away from front-line policing. And at the same time, we’re being directed by the province to take over additional districts. Now is not the time to be cutting police budgets. Now is the time to give us the resources to make sure that Surrey is safe."
The union raised alarms about potential service disruptions, questioning whether response times could lengthen or if specialized units might face reductions. It specifically mentioned concerns over cuts to school liaison officers and mental health support teams. "At minimum, the Police Board must publicly disclose what services will be cut," Buhrig stated. "The community should not learn about reductions only after response times rise, proactive patrol drops, or specialized supports disappear." The union also warned that fewer officers could mean less availability for patrol and proactive policing, leaving residents vulnerable during a time of heightened crime.
Surrey's transition to its own municipal police force has been a contentious process since voters approved it in a 2019 referendum, aiming to replace RCMP services. The Surrey Police Service launched operations in 2021 but has faced delays in fully taking over all districts due to staffing shortages and budget constraints. The provincial government has pushed for the expansion, including the recent directive for District 4, but the union argues that the budget cuts undermine these efforts.
City officials, however, presented a more optimistic view of the budget. Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke expressed satisfaction with the fiscal plan during a Thursday statement. "We are funding exactly the number of police officers they asked us to, 189 officers are being funded," she said. "And so I’m sure once they fully understand the budget, they will see it differently." Locke's comments suggest the cuts may target administrative or non-operational areas rather than frontline staffing, though specifics on the reductions remain unclear.
The mayor's administration has prioritized balancing public safety with taxpayer relief, amid broader discussions in British Columbia about municipal spending. Surrey, with a population of over 600,000, is one of the province's fastest-growing cities, and its police budget has been a flashpoint in local politics. The 2026 provisional budget's endorsement in November followed months of deliberations, but the union's release indicates the $46.95 million cut was a late adjustment that caught many off guard.
Experts in municipal policing have noted that Surrey's situation reflects wider challenges in Canadian law enforcement, where rising costs for salaries, equipment, and training collide with demands for fiscal restraint. The average officer cost cited by the union—$158,510—includes not just salaries but also benefits, pensions, and operational expenses, highlighting the complexity of budgeting in a high-growth urban area.
The extortion crisis adds urgency to the debate. What began as isolated incidents has evolved into a coordinated campaign, with perpetrators using threats, violence, and social media to intimidate victims. The B.C. Extortion Task Force, comprising local police, the RCMP, and federal agencies like the CBSA, has ramped up efforts, but the union argues that local resources are insufficient without stable funding.
Residents and business owners in Surrey have voiced frustration over the violence. While specific victim testimonies were not detailed in recent reports, the spike in incidents— from routine calls to armed confrontations—has heightened community anxiety. The police board has not yet responded publicly to the union's demands for transparency on service impacts, leaving questions about how the cuts will play out in practice.
Looking ahead, the Surrey Police Board may face pressure to revise the budget or provide detailed breakdowns. The union has called for immediate dialogue, while the mayor's office maintains that the funding aligns with police requests. As Surrey navigates its extortion emergency and police transition, the budget decision could shape the city's safety landscape for years to come, potentially influencing similar debates in other Canadian municipalities.
With the extortion task force's investigations ongoing and provincial oversight of the police transition continuing, stakeholders will be watching closely for any signs of service erosion. For now, the tension between fiscal prudence and public security remains at the forefront of Surrey's challenges.