Police in Fernie have tackled more calls on the road over the past few months than in the past three years.
Elk Valley RCMP responded to a total of 328 calls for service in Fernie from October to December 2025 – roughly 18 per cent higher than its figures in both 2023 and 2024.
Motor vehicle incidents accounted for 25 of those calls this past quarter, up from the numbers between 2022 and 2024 and more than double Q2.
Staff Sgt. Svend Nielsen referred to the recent fatality near Hosmer as one of the more serious traffic incidents in the region in recent months.
“It’s been a difficult year that way for serious accidents. We respect that,” Nielsen told Council.
“I think it basically comes down to road conditions more than anything, and that’s no fault of the [Ministry of Transportation] or Mainroad […] Road conditions can change here very quickly.”
The detachment commander also shared that some branch closures are planned over the next four weeks due to both a staff shortage and statutory holidays. The office will be closed on the following dates:
- March 23, 2026
- March 30, 2026
- April 3, 2026
- April 6, 2026
- April 10, 2026
- April 13, 2026
“We have to maintain the health of our other staff, and it’s just not possible for us to rotate that around until [the new civilian member] gets more familiar with her position,” Nielsen explained.
Elk Valley police responded to a total of 957 calls for service across the region. More information is available through the detachment’s Q3 report.
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