OPP service rates are on the rise throughout many municipalities, and Callander is not immune to the hike in fees. For 2025, Callander’s fee for service will rise $60,000, from around $375,000 annually to the $435,000 mark.
In July, the OPP ratified its new contract, which saw officers become the highest paid in the province. The contract covers 2023 to 2026 and the officers will see raises of 4.75 per cent retroactive to the first year of the deal, followed by an increase of 4.5 per cent in the second year and 2.75 per cent raises in each of the last two years of the deal.
Hence the increased service fees.
However, despite the increase hovering around 11 per cent, “We’re still in a better position than we were years ago,” Mayor Robb Noon said, referring to the previous contract with the North Bay Police Service. After 16 of service, North Bay Police severed ties with Callander, declining to enter into another contract in the fall of 2021.
The town’s last contract with the North Bay Police was for $565,000.
As of January 1st, 2022, the OPP took over policing in Callander, charging around $375,000 – depending on the number of calls – for the first three years.
See: Callander’s mayor ‘hopeful’ new numbers from OPP are ‘more palatable’
Recently, Mattawa’s council noted the municipality was facing a 21 per cent increase in its OPP service rates. Callander’s Senior Municipal Director, Ashley Bilodeau pointed out some other remarkable increases in a memo to council.
She noted Kirkland Lake’s rates are rising just over $716,000, and Greater Napanee (just west of Kingston) faces a 23 per cent increase, “and their Town Council is considering a 6 per cent property tax increase.”
“Closer to home,” Bilodeau detailed, “many of the municipalities surrounding Callander are also seeing record increases, based on conversations with their staff.”
What’s next for Callander? Council has invited the OPP to appear at a future meeting in late October or early November. Some municipalities, Bilodeau noted in her report, “are taking steps to voice their concerns with Members of Provincial Parliament and Ministerial Staff. Mattawa for example has expressed the need for the province to reabsorb the cost of the Ontario Provincial Police back into the provincial budget.”
Mattawa recently passed a motion requesting the province cover policing costs, especially for small municipalities.
See: ‘Ludicrous,’ Mattawa’s CAO says of OPP service increase
See: Town wants Province to foot bill for rural municipal policing
Can Callander afford the increases? Mayor Robb Noon assured residents the costs are manageable. “We’ve looked after our finances over the years,” he said, “and these things come up every now and then, so we’ve made sure that we have reserves, and we have money to cover the increase.”
However, the additional expense “does limit the number of things that you can accomplish the next year. You have to take it all into consideration, so the rise does have an impact.”
Overall, the town is very happy with the OPP’s service, Mayor Noon added. “Everything is going very well, we have a great relationship with them, and it’s working well for our community. All you hear are good things,” about the OPP throughout Callander, the mayor said.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
