Provincial lifeline offers some relief for SDG's 2025 OPP costs

[Michael Jack]

Rural communities across Ontario were thrown a lifeline last week, thanks to the Ontario Government setting aside over $77 million to help smaller municipalities with the steep rise in policing costs moving into 2025.

For residents of SDG, that means $1.1 million shaved off the cost of the 2025 OPP contract.

The announcement on Nov. 29 came just in time for SDG’s budget meeting on Tuesday. The total policing budget for SDG taxpayers now sits at $10.3 million, down from the original $11.5 million. This works out to an increase of $361 000 over the 2024 contracted amount. This allowed SDG to significantly lower the projected property tax increases for 2025.

“Our government is taking decisive action to ensure our community remains a safe place to live, run a business, and raise a family,” said MPP for Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry Nolan Quinn “This proposed financial relief will support our heroic police forces so they can keep protecting Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry for decades to come.”

By contracting policing to the OPP, SDG can influence certain items when it comes to the level of service provided, but is ultimately bound to the per-household and per-call formula used by the OPP to determine its annual invoices. The end cost of the OPP contract is out of SDG’s full control, alongside the services downloaded from the province in the 1990s and shared with Cornwall that the city administers and whose budgets the city controls.

The county pays Cornwall for the housing services and programs, and social services provided within SDG based on where those receiving the service reside; for its share of Cornwall-SDG Paramedic Services on a call- and ambulance station-based agreement; and, for a portion of Glen Stor Dun Lodge costs based on where the long-term care residents were living before they moved in.

“Balancing our financial responsibilities while maintaining essential services has been a difficult task,” said Warden Jamie MacDonald. “External costs such as long-term care and policing are beyond our direct control but remain vital to our communities. We continue to prioritize efficient delivery of services and responsible financial management.”

Municipalities across Ontario experienced sticker shock as they prepared for the 2025 budget season. The Ontario government recently overhauled police services boards and have moved to a detachment board model for OPP-police municipalities following implementation of the new legislation that came into effect in April.

It coincided with a new contract agreement with the Ontario Provincial Police Association, which has led to OPP officers becoming the highest-paid law enforcement in the province. The new collective agreement also includes retroactive raises ranging from 4.75 per cent to 2.75 per cent between 2023 and 2026.

The measures announced by Queen’s Park last week include a 3.75 per cent reduction for retroactive costs dating to 2023, with more offered for overtime pay, along with a 10 per cent reduction for 2025.

While this cash injection offers temporary relief for municipalities it remains unclear how the province plans to approach funding police services beyond 2025.

“The province will be examining options for reviewing the OPP billing model to ensure that it meets the needs of communities across the province,” said government spokesperson Brent Ross.

https://www.standard-freeholder.com/new ... -opp-costs