RCMP Officer, Summer 2025. File photo by Jon Tupper
EDMONTON — A new poll suggests most Albertans remain opposed to replacing the RCMP with a provincial police service and want the government to focus on other priorities such as affordability, healthcare and community safety.
The survey by Pollara Strategic Insights, conducted in August for the National Police Federation, found support for a provincial police force has declined since the idea was first floated five years ago. Only 31 per cent of respondents supported replacing the RCMP, compared with 35 per cent in 2020.
Eighty-one per cent of those surveyed said there are more important issues for the province to address, while three-quarters of residents in RCMP-served communities said they are satisfied with their policing. Seventy-one per cent said the public has not been adequately consulted on the proposal.
The findings are consistent with the United Conservative government’s own Fair Deal Panel survey in 2020, where creating a provincial police force also ranked near the bottom of public priorities. The new results were released as the province wrapped up its Alberta Next engagement sessions exploring the future of provincial programs and services.
The police federation says the government’s plan lacks transparency, a clear cost breakdown and evidence that it would improve service. Independent municipal reviews have warned the change could increase costs and reduce service levels, particularly in smaller communities.
Pollara surveyed 1,200 adults online between Aug. 6 and 20. The results carry a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
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