Montague officials are hosting a public meeting next Wednesday night to dispel what they say is misinformation about what will happen if the town doesn't renew its direct policing agreement with the RCMP.

"We just said, 'look we need to have a town meeting and we need to get the proper information out there and let the people know the facts.' I think there has been, for a lack of better terminology, a little bit of fear mongering going on in the background," said Andrew Daggett, Montague's chief administrative officer.

"People are worried that we're going to be left out in the wild west here with no law. That's not the case."

The town's 20-year contract, which provides for three full-time RCMP officers, expires at the end of March.

Council is expected to vote on Thursday night on whether to continue with that service, which costs about $300,000 per year or go with an extended service agreement.

An extended service agreement would still provide policing, just not three officers dedicated only to Montague.

"We keep hearing, 'well you're not going to have policing' — well that's not true. We keep hearing 'oh it's too expensive to have a town police force,' — well we already know that and we have no intention of having a town police force. Those types of things that are passing around," Daggett said.

Stratford is the only other municipality in the province that has a direct policing contract with the RCMP.

Wednesday night's information meeting takes place at the town hall starting at 6 p.m.

Council is expected to vote on the issue Thursday night.