.png;w=960)
Calvin Township just saved $17,000.
Recently the provincial government agreed to dole out $77 million to municipalities to help cover OPP service costs. Rising OPP costs hit many municipalities hard this past fall. Just ask Mattawa, which saw its service contracts going up over 20 per cent.
The financial burden spurred many municipalities to sign resolutions asking the province to pay for OPP services. Mattawa led the way on that, demanding the province fully fund OPP services for smaller, rural municipalities. The council estimated that would cost around $428 million.
The province didn’t part with hundreds of millions for the cause, but on November 9, declared $77 million would go to offset costs.
See: Town wants Province to foot bill for rural municipal policing
It comes as a relief, Calvin Township councillors noted. Usually, Calvin Township spends about $120,000 for policing services. There are 295 households within the township, and 13 commercial and industrial properties, each of which pays about $373 each year for OPP services.
See: Province proposes $77 million to offset OPP costs
Next year’s increase amounted to an additional $25,000 on the OPP bill. The new provincial money means $17,000 of that $25,000 will be paid by the province. This leaves Calvin with an $8,000 increase to cover rather than the full $25,000.
“It was huge for us,” emphasized Calvin’s CAO, Donna Maitland, speaking of the $25,000 increase. “The $8,000 increase is about 6 per cent, which is more of a typical increase,” she added.
Maitland continued, “The Ontario government was pressured by municipalities across Ontario, so if you think your voices are not heard, here’s a great example of what can happen when you pull together.”
Mayor Richard Gould said, “You’re absolutely right. It’s a big win for all municipalities, Calvin included.”
“It’s great that they’re softening the cost,’ Councillor Dean Grant added, ‘hopefully it’s something they can continue to do.”
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.
