The four-year budget presents a focused approach to maintaining public safety, responding to increasing service demands, and investing in the first responders, facilities, technology, and equipment needed to serve a growing city.
The proposed budget is built around the priorities Edmontonians identified during extensive public engagement and consultation, where safety emerged as one of the community's highest priorities.
“The Commission has heard loud and clear that Edmontonians are looking to the police service to reduce crime and work toward a safer and more secure city for everyone. The Commission fully supports the 2027-2030 police budget and its strategic investments to improve public safety. We recognize that Edmonton requires a continued sustainable funding approach to ensure the EPS has the ability to maintain staffing and move toward a more visible and proactive policing model that Edmontonians have asked for,” said Commission Chair Ben Henderson.
"This all comes down to keeping Edmontonians safe at a time when demands on the service are growing,” said EPS Chief Warren Driechel. “Parents want their kids to be able to play in their communities, students don’t want to have to deal with open air drug use every day on their commute, and business owners shouldn’t have to report theft after theft as they try to make a living. We are seeing effective results in our approach to crime management, so this budget focuses resources where they will continue to have the greatest impact on community safety, service delivery, and public trust.”
By the numbers
The EPS’s current operating budget is $628 million and forms part of the City of Edmonton’s overall net-expenditure budget. A substantial portion of the proposed 2027 increase is needed to fund salary settlements previously approved by Council, which is not part of the Police Funding Formula increase.
The proposed four-year budget reflects a disciplined approach to managing growth. The EPS has completed an extensive internal reallocation exercise to align existing resources with the 2027-2030 Strategic Plan. This resulted in resources being redirected toward the services Edmontonians have identified as priorities, and are designed to reduce crime, increase visibility, and improve connection with the community. The EPS redirected $18.07 million of 2026 existing resources before seeking new investments and will continue looking for further efficiencies over the next four-year budget cycle.
In addition, the funding formula will provide approximately $55.80 million over the next four years. This includes $33.11 million required for inflation costs that are critical to support the operations of the police service, $21.87 million in growth funding for priority areas across the EPS and $0.82 million for operating impacts of capital. The formula provides predictable and consistent funding for inflation and population growth.
Among the investments residents are expected to notice are enhancements to crime management, support for the Integrated Stabilization Centre, improved follow-up with victims and complainants, and expanded digital reporting and investigative tools.
The EPS is also seeking $182.97 million in capital funding to maintain critical infrastructure, including police facilities, information technology systems, communications equipment, and fleet assets. Currently, approximately one-third of that request, or $61.66 million, remains unfunded.
The proposed budget aligns with EPS’s strategic goal of focused policing and safer communities while addressing increasing complexity in investigations, population growth, transit safety demands, and rising public expectations for service.
Council will consider both the operating and capital budget proposals during upcoming City of Edmonton budget deliberations.