FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 20, 2025

The Victoria & Esquimalt Police Board presented its 2026 budget to Victoria City Council today. This budget reflects the operational realities facing policing today and is grounded in a clear responsibility: ensuring that VicPD can meet the needs of our communities now and in the years ahead.

Victoria is a rapidly evolving and increasingly complex city. Expectations for modern policing have grown significantly, and the demands placed on officers have intensified. This budget is fundamentally about aligning our resourcing with those realities so that we can uphold our legislated mandate to provide adequate and effective police services.

“Calls for service are more complex, investigations require more specialized resources, and communities expect a visible, engaged presence in their neighbourhoods. This budget strengthens the operational capacity needed to meet those expectations responsibly and effectively. Our frontline has been carrying pressures that are no longer sustainable under the current model, and this investment is essential to realigning capacity with the realities of contemporary policing,” said Board Chair, Micayla Hayes.

The City's Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan, along with the recent Public Engagement Survey, made residents’ priorities unmistakably clear: public disorder, safety in public spaces, integrated mental health and social service partnerships, bylaw coordination, and visible policing are pressing daily concerns. These are not abstract concepts – they are lived experiences for residents, businesses, and visitors.

This budget ensures that VicPD is positioned to respond to those priorities with the level of presence, coordination, and responsiveness the community expects and deserves.

Over the past decade, VicPD has fundamentally evolved its approach to policing by investing time, expertise, and leadership into upstream, prevention-focused programs despite not receiving additional resources to support this shift. Our officers and civilian professionals have adapted thoughtfully and effectively to the changing realities within our communities, embracing collaborative models, integrated partnerships, and early-intervention strategies that address root causes before they become crises. This work has been undertaken with professionalism and resilience, demonstrating our commitment to serving Victoria and Esquimalt in ways that reflect both the needs of today and the expectations of a modern, community-focused police service.

The Victoria & Esquimalt Police Board remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering a police service that is responsive, modern, and grounded in partnership. Adequate funding is essential to that commitment. This budget supports the officers who serve, advances the priorities of residents, and ensures that VicPD can fulfill its mandated role effectively and safely.

We urge both councils to support this budget in the interest of community safety, responsible governance, and the wellbeing of the police officers who serve Victoria and Esquimalt with dedication and integrity.

 

Micayla Hayes, Chair

Victoria & Esquimalt Police Board