New OPP billing model angers municipalities

Obscenely high and unsustainable policing costs. OPP bills are destroying communities its officers are supposed to protect. Apparent self-interest is cloaked in the guise of public safety needs. Where is the political outrage while OPP costs continue to climb? Who is going to bring policing costs in this province under control?

New OPP billing model angers municipalities

Postby Thomas » Wed Feb 25, 2015 2:48 pm

Overall, West Parry Sound region to see $2.3 million hike

WEST PARRY SOUND – The new OPP billing model has been described as “fair” and “equitable for all municipalities,” however, West Parry Sound will be paying an additional $2.3 million over the next five years.

The new OPP billing model was announced in August of 2014 and officially went into effect on January 1, 2015. The new model is to be “revenue neutral” with no additional money coming to the province because of the change. According to provincial officials, the model is meant to have numerous benefits, including a much smaller variance in per property costs across municipalities, a reduction in the variation between municipal policing costs, and greater budgeting certainty for municipalities.

The new model shifts to a mix of base fee plus calls for service, in comparison to the existing 17-year model that was based on a call for service formula. The base contributes to 60 per cent of the bill, while the remaining 40 per cent will come from calls for service.

“The new billing model is a positive step forward achieving greater equity and transparency in OPP municipal policing cost-recovery,” said J.V.N (Vince) Hawkes, OPP Commissioner, during the August announcement. “It will address concerns brought forward by the Auditor General of Ontario and many of our municipalities. We are moving in the right direction with this model.”

For West Parry Sound municipalities, the “right direction” means they will be paying half a million dollars more in 2015 alone.

Seguin chief administrative officer Tom Stockie, supplied a 2015 billing statement which included OPP costs for all seven West Parry Sound municipalities, demonstrating that the Township of the Archipelago is impacted the most due to the new billing model, with Parry Sound the only community receiving savings.

In 2014, the Archipelago paid $112,436, and is estimated to pay $245,796 in 2015, and could pay a total of $769,395 by 2019 – a 584 per cent increase.

Whitestone will experience a 329 per cent increase with a total cost of $434,120 in 2019, compared to 2014 costs of $101,177. The municipality will pay $172,256 in 2015.

Reeve Chris Armstrong shared his dissatisfaction with the new billing system.

“There’s still a flaw in the system,” said the Whitesone reeve. “One of the major things in there was supposed to be a fairness to the way OPP costing was done.”

Armstrong was among a delegation of West Parry Sound municipal members who lobbied in Toronto last year, to the Community Safety Minister Yasir Naqvi, about the OPP billing model. The end result was discouraging as the OPP forged ahead with their model without taking any input from municipalities, said Armstrong.

The township of McKellar paid $121,293 in 2014, will pay $182,193 in 2015, and projects a total of $388,834 by 2019 – a total increase of 220 per cent.

Carling will suffer a 167 per cent increase. In 2014, the township paid $166,940 for OPP costs. For 2015, the township is anticipated to pay $237,141 and by 2019 the township is projected to pay $445,120.

The township of McDougall faces a 105 per cent increase. The township paid a total of $255,884 in 2014 and projects a cost of $329,324 for 2015. By 2019, the township could pay a total of $523,458.

Dave Rushton, the township’s chief administrative officer, said his council has opposed the change throughout the process.

“The mayor and members of council are meeting with the minister this week in Toronto to personally communicate our displeasure,” said Rushton.

Township of McDougall mayor Dale Robinson said that he does not believe the new model to be fair, like it was intended to be.

“Council of McDougall is not happy with the new OPP pricing model,” said Robinson. “It unfairly increases our costs for no additional service. The model forces low call areas like McDougall to subsidize larger more urban areas who have a heavier call volume.”

The only municipality that is benefiting from the new OPP billing model is Parry Sound.

The town will experience a 6.7 per cent decrease paying just under $2 million in 2015, in comparison to over $2 million in 2014.

Once all the changes are phased in, Parry Sound will save 12.5 per cent on police costs, according to chief administrative officer Rob Mens.

“The new billing model is fairer,” he said. “The Town of Parry Sound and numerous other urban hub communities have been overpaying OPP costs for years. We would have preferred the phase-in period be more immediate but at least the new model is more equitable.”

http://www.parrysound.com/news-story/54 ... ipalities/
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