Municipal police departments throughout British Columbia will be able to train more recruits faster with the approval of new satellite police training sites in Vancouver and Victoria, enhancing public safety in communities across the province.

"We are ensuring that police departments have the well-trained officers they need on the ground to keep people and businesses safe in communities across the province," said Nina Krieger, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. "A Vancouver and Victoria-based police training site builds on our $4-million investment to expand seat capacity at the Justice Institute British Columbia (JIBC). Together, these initiatives will ensure that the surge in municipal recruit training demands throughout British Columbia are fully met, now and into the future."

Expanding police training spaces

The Vancouver and Victoria police departments have been approved to begin operating training sites this year to address a surge in demand for training new recruits. The Victoria site will provide spaces for the Victoria Police Department and recruits from other south Vancouver Island municipal police departments. The Vancouver site will provide spaces for the Vancouver Police Department. The sites have been approved for a two-year basis to address the immediate surge in demand throughout B.C.

In addition to these satellite locations, the JIBC Police Academy in New Westminster is expanding its training capacity to further meet demand. The academy accepts three cohorts per year. Beginning May 2026, space will be increased from 96 seats to 144. This means as many as 432 trained police recruits will graduate from the police academy main campus each year. With the creation of these two satellite JIBC police academies and the further expansion of training seats at the JIBC, capacity will be opened up at the JIBC campus in New Westminster to support the needs of the ongoing Surrey Police Service transition, and police departments throughout the province.

"Our role has always been to ensure police recruit training in British Columbia remains rigorous, consistent, and responsive to changing needs," said Len Goerke, president and CEO, JIBC. "The Province's approach introduces additional flexibility, while safeguarding the rigorous standards that define JIBC's police recruit training."

Read the complete press release