Victoria is seeking the same provincial funding as Vancouver, which received $40,000 from the solicitor general's ministry last month. But a ministry spokesman said the government has not yet made a commitment to give Victoria any grant money.
The provincial money will enable Vancouver to send about 30 people to other parts of Canada. It costs around $2,500 per trip to send a warrant subject and the required police escorts to Toronto by commercial airline, Vancouver police estimate.
So far, Vancouver has shipped 10 people back. It estimates as many as 2,500 criminals in the city are wanted in other provinces.
Some other police departments, such as Edmonton, Lethbridge and London, Ont., have agreed to pay to have their suspects returned. Vancouver police have also started a petition asking Ottawa to fund the program for other forces.
Vancouver's program leans largely on the support of the community to pay the bills. The Vancouver Board of Trade and local citizens have offered to help pay airfares by donating frequent-flyer points.
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