Steep OPP cost increases add unexpected pressure to London-area municipal budgets
CBC
Rural London-area municipalities will have to make hard budget choices as they grapple with significant and unexpected increases to their policing bills.
CBC News spoke with several mayors in the London region who expressed shock at the high bills their municipalities had received from Ontario Provincial Police for 2025. Each said they faced year-over-year increases of more than 20 per cent, with one as high as 30 per cent.
The extent of the increase was surprising and came without warning, they said, adding the increased cost, which they have to pay, will burden the tax bills of ratepayers next year.
In Lucan Biddulph, officials are staring down a bill 20 per cent higher than last year's, another $120,000, which will add 2.2 per cent to the taxy levy.
"Our residents need to know this is a bill we received that we can't negotiate," said Cathy Burghardt-Jesson, Lucan Biddulph's mayor.
The bill makes up half of the 4.4 per cent levy in the draft budget coming before council on Dec. 17, she said. The budget hasn't been finalized, but mitigating the impact could mean service cuts.
Middlesex Centre faces a 22.4 per cent increase of more than $400,000. Of next year's projected 5.9 per cent tax hike, two per cent is due to the OPP increase, said Mayor John Brennan.
"There's very little we can do to mitigate the impact. We simply have to pass it on to the taxpayers and pay the bill to give them police protection," he said.
Thames Centre ratepayers could see a three per cent tax increase because of the OPP bill, which is up about 20 per cent, said Mayor Sharron McMillan.
With looming budget talks, they may have to cut a few other things to keep the levy manageable, she said.
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The OPP referred questions to the Ministry of the Solicitor General.
The province said it understands some municipalities face additional costs due to existing agreements with the OPP, said Chelsea McGee, a ministry spokesperson, in a statement.
"We will work with these municipalities to ensure they are not negatively financially impacted by this."
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