Agreement aimed at stability as SPS takes on new responsibilities
The Surrey Police Board and the Surrey Police Union have finalised a four-year collective agreement intended to provide labour and fiscal certainty as the Surrey Police Service (SPS) navigates an expansion and leadership change.
The deal covers the period from Jan. 1, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2028 and contains a series of general wage increases that mirror moves in other municipal police forces. The two sides say the agreement reflects parity with wage and benefit improvements negotiated by the Vancouver Police in the fall of 2025.
| Year | General increase |
|---|---|
| 2025–2026 | In line with other municipal police departments |
| 2027 | 4.25% |
| 2028 | 4.0% |
Overall, the package represents approximately $14.283 million in increased payroll costs, equivalent to roughly 13 per cent of baseline wages. Those costs were incorporated into Surrey’s 2026 operating budget, the board and union said in a joint statement.
Local implications: costs, recruitment and Guildford/Fleetwood
Officials framed the settlement as more than a wage adjustment. The board and union cited several practical pressures facing the service that the deal is intended to smooth, including:
- The assumption of responsibility for policing in Guildford/Fleetwood, a significant operational expansion for SPS;
- Continued recruitment and retention of experienced officers and new recruits during a competitive labour market;
- The impending transition to a new Chief Constable for the service.
The union’s president, Ryan Buhrig, and police board chair Perm Jawanda both praised the outcome. Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke also welcomed the agreement, arguing it recognises the role of front-line officers.
“The deal recognizes the important work police officers do to keep Surrey safe and supports the continued development of a strong municipal police service,” Locke stated.
That endorsement underlines municipal leadership’s desire to present the settlement as part of a broader plan to stabilise policing while SPS grows its footprint across the city.
Budget and political context
While the agreement’s cost has been budgeted for 2026, the multi-year nature of the settlement means councillors and city administrators will continue to account for wages and benefits in future operating forecasts. The board’s statement emphasised alignment with the SPB’s “overall costing mandate” and the need to reflect improvements previously secured by Vancouver Police.
For Surrey residents, the ramifications are practical: the settlement aims to keep experienced officers in the city and to smooth service delivery as SPS assumes new patrol areas. Critics of past policing changes may still question whether increased spending will translate into better community outcomes; supporters argue predictable labour relations and competitive compensation are necessary to sustain a stable municipal force.
Next steps and watch points
The SPS will proceed with recruitment, integrate policing responsibilities for Guildford/Fleetwood and work through its leadership transition. Observers will watch several indicators closely over the coming months, including officer recruitment and retention numbers, front-line staffing in newly acquired areas, and how the wage increases influence future municipal budgeting.
With policing a central civic concern in Surrey’s rapid growth, the four-year agreement is likely to remain part of public conversations about public safety, municipal spending and the long-term shape of the Surrey Police Service.
