The Ontario government plans to provide over $77 million in financial relief to municipalities to address the rising costs of Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) services.
The investment, targeting predominantly small and rural communities, aims to address the budget impacts resulting from the collective bargaining agreement reached with the Ontario Provincial Police Association (OPPA) in July 2024.
Solicitor General Michael Kerzner emphasized the importance of balancing budgets while maintaining community safety, stating, “ This financial relief we are proposing will help municipal leaders balance their budgets and invest in their communities while ensuring no change to the policing provided by the OPP that keeps families and businesses safe.”
The proposal includes:
A 3.75% bill reduction on 2023 reconciled costs,
A 44% reduction on 2023 reconciled overtime costs, and
A 10% bill reduction for 2025 invoiced policing costs.
Additionally, the province continues its $125 million annual Court Security & Prisoner Transportation Transfer Payment Program.
The Ontario government is also exploring revisions to the OPP billing model to better serve communities.
Written by: K. Freeman
