By Rob Paul

Caledon Town Council approved the proposed 2022 Caledon OPP budget and 2023-2025 projections at a Council Meeting Tuesday. 

The proposed budget will see a slight increase of $300,000 to $13.2 million—a 2.29 per cent increase from the 2021 budget of $12.9 million. The 2.29 per cent increase in 2022 is lower than the projection of a 3.91 per cent increase in the previous year.

The approved budget includes a budgeted draw from the Caledon OPP Policing Stabilization Reserve fund of $495,000 to offset additional costs, such as cleaning, during the COVID-19 pandemic, phase-out annual reconciliations related to vacancies at the Caledon detachment of the OPP, and to assist with financial recovery from COVID-19 for Town residents and businesses.

The proposed 2022 operating budget and projections for 2023-2025 will be presented to Regional Council in December 2021 and are expected to be incorporated with the 2022 Regional budget discussion and approval process. 

The increased cost in the proposed 2022 Caledon OPP budget is comprised of an overall increase in policing costs is due to population growth.

Town Council also approved the projected budget for the next three years for the Caledon OPP, along with the approval on the proposed 2022 Caledon OPP budget.

The approved budget projections for the next three years are $13.6 million (2023), $14 million (2024), and $14.4 million (2025). 

With Caledon Council's approval of the proposed Caledon OPP budget and projections for 2023-2025, the next steps are to bring it to the Region of Peel.

Caledon OPP and Town staff will then present the Caledon OPP budget and projections at the December 2 Region of Peel Budget Meeting.