New rural policing partnership

December 18, 2025 Media inquiries

Alberta is modernizing the police funding model to keep rural policing costs predictable, transparent and sustainable.

As policing costs continue to rise, Alberta is updating its police funding model to ensure essential front-line policing services remain effective and sustainable for rural and small communities. Starting in the 2026-27 fiscal year, municipalities will cover 22 per cent of current front-line policing costs, returning gradually to 30 per cent over the next five years. This phased approach ensures municipal contributions are updated in a measured, sustainable way that supports local budget planning.

When the funding model was introduced in 2020, it created a framework for communities with populations less than 5,000 to contribute up to 30 per cent of front-line policing costs under the Provincial Police Service Agreement (PPSA). However, with contributions based on outdated 2018 costs, municipalities are currently contributing only 19 per cent of front-line policing costs.