OTTAWA — RCMP members will be getting an eight per cent salary increase after an arbitration ruling that will ultimately leave provinces and municipalities across the country forced to cover the cost.

The Mounties’ contract expired last March and their union, the National Police Federation, has been negotiating with the federal government on a new deal. That agreement has not yet been reached but, according to a recently released arbitration ruling, wage increases that were a sticking point were brought to an arbitrator by both sides for a resolution.