With Port Hardy’s 2021 population statistics coming in lower than expected, it looks like the district is off the hook for having to pay for its own policing in the near future.
Port Hardy council received a letter at its April 12 meeting from Jamie Lipp, Executive Director for Indigenous, Core Policing and Contract Management, where Lipp noted RCMP Services had previously written to council in June of 2020 to inform the district of the possibility it may soon be responsible for the provision of policing and law enforcement services, including bearing the necessary expenses of policing services within its municipal boundaries, if it exceeded 5,000 population in the 2021 Canada Census. Port Hardy had a 4,132 population when the 2020 letter had been written.
“I am writing to advise you that according to the Census population figures released on Feb. 9, 2022, the district has a population of 3,902 persons,” confirmed Lipp. “As a result, and as per the Police Act, Port Hardy will remain under the responsibility of the province to provide policing.”
When asked to comment, Port Hardy mayor Dennis Dugas said that it’s “good news for us, and it looks like we’ll be okay for the next five years.” He added if the district had ended up having to pay for its own policing, “it would’ve had a big impact on our taxes.”
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