The price of policing within the Municipality of Brockton simply went manner up.
“Huge jump. Brockton will have the second highest OPP costs in all of Ontario, second behind Fort Frances,” stated Chris Peabody, Municipality of Brockton mayor.
Brockton, which incorporates Walkerton, has been handed a 30 per cent improve in policing prices. From roughly $2.5 million in 2024, to just about $3.3 million in 2025.
Whereas a 4.75 per cent improve in yearly OPP officer salaries accounts for a number of the improve, an almost doubling of courtroom safety and prisoner transportation prices for the Bruce County Courthouse, positioned in Walkerton, is what actually hits laborious, in line with Peabody.
“We’re talking 900,000 for court security. So, just an incredibly high amount,” he stated.
“It’s something that the ratepayers here won’t be able to bear over the next few years. It’s not sustainable. There is a courthouse security grant, but that has not been guaranteed for this year. We could be getting zero. So, a lot of anxious times here in Brockton.”
South Bruce OPP headquarters in Walkerton, Ont. on Nov. 12, 2024. (Scott Miller/ London)
If left as is, the greater than $700,000 improve in policing prices would result in a 6.5 per cent tax improve for Brockton taxpayers in 2025.
“Officers did get a very good pay increase. We can handle that. We can give our officers a good pay increase that they deserve,” stated Peabody.
“It’s really the court security, the almost doubling of court security, that is very difficult for us.”
Peabody is hopeful that the prices of courtroom safety might be dispersed throughout Bruce County’s different municipalities, so that they aren’t caught with the complete invoice.
Gray County and Owen Sound not too long ago struck a deal to share courtroom safety prices for the Gray County Courthouse, positioned in Owen Sound.
Peabody stated lobbying Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson will hopefully get their message to Queen’s Park choice makers to repair their rapid improve and potential future ones.
“I think that Lisa’s intervention will pay off,” he stated.
Different Ontario municipalities are coping with giant OPP will increase as nicely. Collingwood will see a 37 per cent bounce in policing prices, whereas Napanee is going through a 23 per cent improve.
