Kingsville's OPP budget went up more than $500K this year even with a provincial cap. Here's why
Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2026 1:27 am
The hit to the budget comes as municipalities across Ontario raise concerns about policing costs
The finance director for the Town of Kingsville says an unexpectedly high policing bill that added an extra $200,000 to the 2026 budget at the last minute was related to previous credits received by the municipality.
The town had made changes to its Ontario Provincial Police contract in 2024, Ryan McLeod told CBC, leading to credits on its 2025 bill.
The province pledged to cap OPP cost increases to municipalities at 11 per cent in 2026 — but it calculated Kingsville’s cap based on the amount of the previous bill prior to the credits being applied, McLeod said.
The result is that Kingsville’s 2026 OPP bill is actually 17.6 per cent higher than the total paid in 2025 — amounting to a total increase of more than $535,000.
“It wasn't the answer I was hoping for,” Ryan McLeod said of his conversation with the province about the increase.
“Certainly, I was hoping the province would say, ‘You know, we made a mistake, and we’ll adjust your bill.”
Kingsville council made a last-minute decision during its budget deliberations on Dec. 10 to add just over $200,000 to the policing budget to cover the unexpected expense.
They approved the 2026 budget with a 5.9 per cent increase to the municipal portion of the tax levy.
Deputy Mayor Kim DeYoung asked staff at the Dec. 10 meeting if it was possible to communicate to residents how much OPP costs, which municipalities have no say in, were affecting the tax levy.
'By far the biggest increase I've ever seen'
“This is by far the biggest increase I’ve ever seen,” she said.
“The public needs to know that over half a million dollars was increased this year … and no increased service levels. … So I would love to see when we put out our public information that it includes the OPP as a separate line so people can see … what the provincial component is of their municipal tax bill.”
McLeod told CBC he believes residents understand that “there's only so much within the control of council.”
But he said the municipality needs more direction from the province about policing costs going forward so it can better plan for increases.
The province instituted the 11 per cent cap on 2026 OPP costs after an outcry from municipalities about soaring bills related in part to a new collective agreement put in place in 2024.
The province provided one-time relief to municipalities last year to help offset double-digit price increases. It then promised the 11 per cent cap for 2026.
But the mayor of Pelee Island still questioned whether the costs are sustainable.
“Whether you're getting a 40 per cent increase in one year or a 40 per cent increase over … three years … is that maintainable?” Cathy Miller asked.
“It doesn't mean it's going away. It just means it's … very likely delayed, and … that's still a hard reality of costs of an essential service in your municipality — that you have to plan for it to go up that much potentially every year.”
Miller said she has no issues with the service Pelee receives from the OPP, but she questioned whether cost-sharing between the municipality and the province even makes sense.
“It’s a provincial police service,” she said, “no different than healthcare, no different than roads that are provincial roads. .... If this is the level of service that they want to continue to provide, can municipalities actually afford it?"
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/ ... -9.7043733
https://www.cbc.ca/lite/story/9.7043733
The finance director for the Town of Kingsville says an unexpectedly high policing bill that added an extra $200,000 to the 2026 budget at the last minute was related to previous credits received by the municipality.
The town had made changes to its Ontario Provincial Police contract in 2024, Ryan McLeod told CBC, leading to credits on its 2025 bill.
The province pledged to cap OPP cost increases to municipalities at 11 per cent in 2026 — but it calculated Kingsville’s cap based on the amount of the previous bill prior to the credits being applied, McLeod said.
The result is that Kingsville’s 2026 OPP bill is actually 17.6 per cent higher than the total paid in 2025 — amounting to a total increase of more than $535,000.
“It wasn't the answer I was hoping for,” Ryan McLeod said of his conversation with the province about the increase.
“Certainly, I was hoping the province would say, ‘You know, we made a mistake, and we’ll adjust your bill.”
Kingsville council made a last-minute decision during its budget deliberations on Dec. 10 to add just over $200,000 to the policing budget to cover the unexpected expense.
They approved the 2026 budget with a 5.9 per cent increase to the municipal portion of the tax levy.
Deputy Mayor Kim DeYoung asked staff at the Dec. 10 meeting if it was possible to communicate to residents how much OPP costs, which municipalities have no say in, were affecting the tax levy.
'By far the biggest increase I've ever seen'
“This is by far the biggest increase I’ve ever seen,” she said.
“The public needs to know that over half a million dollars was increased this year … and no increased service levels. … So I would love to see when we put out our public information that it includes the OPP as a separate line so people can see … what the provincial component is of their municipal tax bill.”
McLeod told CBC he believes residents understand that “there's only so much within the control of council.”
But he said the municipality needs more direction from the province about policing costs going forward so it can better plan for increases.
The province instituted the 11 per cent cap on 2026 OPP costs after an outcry from municipalities about soaring bills related in part to a new collective agreement put in place in 2024.
The province provided one-time relief to municipalities last year to help offset double-digit price increases. It then promised the 11 per cent cap for 2026.
But the mayor of Pelee Island still questioned whether the costs are sustainable.
“Whether you're getting a 40 per cent increase in one year or a 40 per cent increase over … three years … is that maintainable?” Cathy Miller asked.
“It doesn't mean it's going away. It just means it's … very likely delayed, and … that's still a hard reality of costs of an essential service in your municipality — that you have to plan for it to go up that much potentially every year.”
Miller said she has no issues with the service Pelee receives from the OPP, but she questioned whether cost-sharing between the municipality and the province even makes sense.
“It’s a provincial police service,” she said, “no different than healthcare, no different than roads that are provincial roads. .... If this is the level of service that they want to continue to provide, can municipalities actually afford it?"
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/ ... -9.7043733
https://www.cbc.ca/lite/story/9.7043733