Budget committee hears emotional feedback on police funding 

Halifax’s budget committee heard impassioned public comment Wednesday as it reviewed the proposed 2025-26 operating budgets for Halifax Regional Police (HRP) and the RCMP’s Halifax detachment. 

The meeting saw emotional and, at times, contentious commentary as residents packed the council chambers, raising concerns about police funding priorities.

Tensions escalated when a person in the gallery accused a staff member of confronting him aggressively, prompting an outburst that briefly disrupted proceedings. The person was escorted from the chamber by Coun. Virginia Hinch. 

The proposed budget includes funding increases for both police bodies. The HRP is requesting $101 million, a $3.2 million increase from last year, while the RCMP request includes an increase of $2.8 million, with $1.4 million allocated for 2025-26, to support the addition of 14 new RCMP officer positions.  

Public calls for funding alternatives  

Several speakers challenged the proposed increase to the police budgets, citing affordability, public safety alternatives and police accountability.  

Lou Campbell, a resident of District 8 (Halifax Peninsula North), said police funding has long operated on a “just ask and receive” basis and called on the public to demand the same for underfunded services.  

“Imagine if we could streamline the process of de-tasking by flooding social services with the millions of dollars the police are requesting,” Campbell said.  

Kay Macdonald criticized the procurement of multiple armoured vehicles – noting that police have two armoured Ford F-350s, with a third still pending approval by council – questioning both the transparency of the decision-making and whether the vehicles were necessary.  

“These vehicles have been discussed and spoken out against, and discussed again, and then green-lit and then purchased,” Macdonald said.  

Macdonald urged the Board of Police Commissioners to release clear policies governing their use.  

“When you start expanding police services to include multiple armoured vehicles, similar to the vehicles the military uses, that’s what that is – the militarization of the police,” Macdonald said.  

Crime stats ‘alarming’ 

Sue Uteck, executive director of the Spring Garden Area Business Association, spoke about rising crime in commercial districts and its impact on small businesses. She called on the municipality and police to work with business improvement districts on public safety solutions and to provide both “police and non-police support on the street.” 

Programs such as the Spring Garden Navigator Program offers social services, but Uteck said crime statistics remain “alarming.”  

Uteck said 567 incidents of shoplifting under $5,000 were reported in the area in 2024. She said the actual number is likely higher, as many businesses do not report theft due to fears of “retaliation” or concerns about rising insurance premiums. She warned that rising costs and thefts are putting small businesses at risk of closure.  

This isn’t just about someone stealing a sandwich because they’re hungry – this is organized crime in the neighbourhood, Uteck said.  

She also emphasized the need for better mental health services, arguing that long-term treatment is both more effective and cost-efficient than incarceration.  

“We need boots on the ground, and we need the services that support those boots on the ground – namely, mental health,” Uteck said.  

Thank you, says chief  

HRP Chief Don MacLean acknowledged the passionate public feedback, thanking those who participated.  

“And I actually want to give thanks to everyone who showed up today to provide their comments in terms of this process,” MacLean said.

“We may not like everything we hear sometimes, but the ability to be critical of our government institutions, particularly those of police, are an important tenet of a functioning democratic society.” 

After an eight-hour meeting, no final decision was made on the police budget. The committee will reconvene on Friday to continue deliberations and vote on the proposal.