Caledon OPP projecting 2.47 percent budget increase in 2021

Written By ALYSSA PARKHILL

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

Mike Garant, Interim Detachment Commander Inspector for Caledon OPP, presented the local police force's 2021 budget to Caledon Council this week. 

The 2021 proposed budged is projecting a 2.47 percent increase, totalling the net operating expense budget at $12.9 million, an increase of $300,000 from 2020. 

The capital projects presented to council included a new OPP Satellite office in the Seniors Centre Addition in Bolton, and a 2,500 square-foot Ancillary Building for evidence storage.

The budget has been broken down and split between OPP contract policing, OPP property service and equipment costs and recovery from grants. 

The presentation also included projections for 2022 to 2023, where there is projected to be an increase of 3.91 per cent in 2022, 3.9 per cent in 2023 and 3.93 per cent in 2024.

“There are sufficient funds to grow approximately $1.3 million for the OPP contract over the next four years, as well as handle any other fluctuations of future costs that may occur,” said Heather Hare, Treasurer at the Town of Caledon. 

A portion is being withdrawn from the Caledon OPP Policing Stabilization Reserve fund, of a total of $495,000 to address additional costs such as extra cleaning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, phase-out annual reconciliations and to assist the financial hardships from the COVID-19 pandemic for the Town and residents. 

Inspector Garant updated Council on the ongoing work that the Caledon OPP Detachment has been keeping up with for the past year, including providing additional support,, traffic, crime, mental health and community services in the area. 

There has been a reduction of traffic offences and motor vehicle collisions in the past year with motor vehicle collisions dropping a whole 25.7 per cent since last year. 

Property crime has reduced 1.1 per cent, but with a high increase of fraud within Caledon.

“Frauds are up during this COVID-19 time and we are doing our part in completing our education through social media,” said Garant. “We can't get together person to person like we used to with, with our elderly folks and we're most vulnerable in the community, but we are overcoming this challenge and becoming more active on social media this year.”

 The proposed 2021 budget will be presented to Regional Council in February 2021.

For more information, please visit Caledon.ca.