New OPP Billing Model for Municipalities
New Model is Fairer, More Transparent and Easier to Understand
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is introducing a fairer, more transparent billing model for the municipalities it serves across the province.
“Updating the OPP billing model is about making it fairer, more transparent, and easier to understand. This new model helps ensure that costs to municipalities served by the OPP are shared fairly while enabling communities to direct their crime-prevention efforts towards saving money and keeping their communities safe.” Yasir Naqvi, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
The new model, which takes effect January 1, 2015, reflects input from the Auditor General and municipalities to more fairly and transparently distribute policing costs.
The model includes two components: base policing costs such as crime prevention, proactive policing, officer training and administrative duties, and cost for reactive calls for service. Base policing will account for approximately 60 per cent of the bill, reactive calls will account for approximately 40 per cent.
This eliminates the large differences in the amounts municipalities were charged and provides municipalities with better data so they can understand the types of calls for police service in their community and direct crime prevention strategies.
The new model will be phased in over a period of up to five years to allow municipalities time to adjust their budgets.
“The new billing model is a positive step toward achieving greater equity and transparency in OPP municipal policing cost-recovery. It will address concerns brought forward by the Auditor General of Ontario and many of our municipalities. We are moving in the right direction with this model.” J.V.N. (Vince) Hawkes, OPP Commissioner
A fair and transparent OPP billing model is part of the government’s plan to invest in people, build stronger communities and make sure Ontario remains one of the safest places in North America.
Quick Facts
- The OPP provides policing services to 324 Ontario municipalities.
- The current OPP billing model was introduced in 1998 and has not been updated in 17 years.
- The OPP acted on the Auditor General’s 2012 report in revising the billing model.
- The average per property cost for OPP services in 2015 is estimated to be $355, compared to an average of $787 (estimated) for self-policed municipalities.
New OPP Billing Model
After months of study, planning and community engagement, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) will be implementing a new billing model to recoup the cost of providing policing services to municipalities. The new model will take effect on Jan. 1, 2015, and be phased in over a period of up to five years to allow municipalities time to adjust their budgets.
