The future of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service could be on the line at Monday's city council meeting as a former city police officer suggests looking into having Ontario Provincial Police take over some or all local policing responsibilities.
Ward 1 Coun. Sonny Spina, a former police detective and security consultant, will introduce a resolution asking the city to obtain pricing for OPP services here.
"The rising cost of policing in the City of Sault Ste. Marie is not sustainable," says the resolution, seconded by Ward 2 Coun. Lisa Vezeau-Allen.
Here, as provided to SooToday by Spina on April 25, is how local police spending has increased in Sault Ste. Marie over seven years:
- 2019 - $25,526,849
- 2020 - $27,539,145
- 2021 - $29,570,897
- 2022 - $32,001,282
- 2023 - $33,266,836
- 2024 - $37,129,723
- 2025 - $39,650,897
As SooToday's James Hopkin reported last week, Sault Ste. Marie Police Service overspent its 2024 budget by $2.9 million, attributed to "staffing pressures, overtime and pay-equity-related salary adjustments.”
The local police services board learned in February that it was awash in red ink.
On March 21, Hugh Stevenson abruptly resigned after seven years as police chief.
Stevenson then ran as Conservative candidate in the recent federal election, copping out of every candidate debate and agreeing to just one substantive media interview.
Two other related resolutions are on the agenda for Monday's council meeting.
Ward 1 Coun. Sandra Hollingsworth will ask that the Ontario Government step in with a $100-million policing grant to 157 northern Ontario communities, to be phased in over the next three years.
Ward 3 Coun. Angela Caputo will suggest that the local police services board submit quarterly financial reports to city council and work more closely with the city’s chief financial officer regarding future budgets.
Here are the full texts of all three resolutions:
OPP Costing
Mover: Coun. S. Spina
Seconder: Coun. L. Vezeau-Allen
Whereas a safe community free of crime and social disorder is beneficial for all residents of and visitors to the City of Sault Ste. Marie; and
Whereas the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service was founded as a municipal police service for the City of Sault Ste. Marie in 1871; and
Whereas year-over-year, the cost of policing in the City of Sault Ste. Marie has risen at a rate higher than the rate of inflation; and
Whereas the rising costs of police services must be paid by taxpayers; and
Whereas the rising cost of policing in the City of Sault Ste. Marie is not sustainable; and
Whereas the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) provide policing service across the province along with the ability to provide additional resources; and
Whereas a priority of council and city staff is to ensure that tax dollars are spent in a fiscally responsible way while exploring all options to provide services that will enhance the safety of our community,
Now therefore be it resolved that the chief administrative officer be directed to send a letter to Ontario’s solicitor general, the Honourable Michael Kerzner to request pricing for OPP services for the City of Sault Ste. Marie; and further that, copies of the letter be sent to the Sault Ste. Marie Police Services Board, the interim Sault Ste. Marie police chief and the Sault Ste. Marie Police Association.
Cost of Policing in the North
Mover: Coun. S. Hollingsworth
Seconder: Coun. M. Bruni
Whereas northern Ontario municipalities face insurmountable challenges to fund both upfront investments and ongoing maintenance of their capital assets, including roads, bridges, water/ wastewater and municipally owned buildings, including recreational facilities, libraries and other tangible capital assets; and
Whereas northern Ontario municipalities' operating needs consume the majority of property tax revenue sources; and
Whereas northern Ontario municipalities are facing monumental infrastructure deficits that cannot be adequately addressed through property tax revenue alone; and
Whereas in 2015 the provincial government moved to standardized billing for all non-contract OPP locations; and
Whereas the annual cost of the Ontario Provincial Police, Municipal Policing Bureau for small rural non-contract municipalities is approximately $428 million; and
Whereas before a one-time provincial support transfer, municipalities across northern Ontario in 2024 received notices from the OPP with an average annual increase of 17.8 per cent, representing 7.7 per cent of the municipal tax levy; and
Whereas the estimated annual cost of the Ontario Provincial Police, Municipal Policing Bureau for municipalities in the northeast is $43 million; and
Whereas the police levy in 2025 to the four large cities in northeastern Ontario is $174 million after grants,
Now therefore be it resolved that the City of Sault Ste. Marie requests that the Ontario Government commit to phasing in a $100-million policing grant over the next three years for the 157 northern communities. After the third year, the fund to increase by the minimum of the annual consumer price so that each community would receive a base amount of $60,000, with the remaining funds allocated based on population. (If the sum of the base amount and the population-based allocation exceeds the amounts received in 2024 notifications from the OPP, plus the annual Consumer Price Index (CPI), the funding for that community to be capped to avoid surplus situations.);
Further that this resolution be forwarded to Premier Doug Ford, the Minister of Solicitor General Michael Kerzner, the Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy, the membership of FONOM and Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.
Police Financials
Mover: Coun. A. Caputo
Seconder: Coun. R. Zagordo
Whereas the Community Safety and Policing Act sets out the respective roles, responsibilities and authority of the Police Services Board and the city in establishing the budget for police services; and
Whereas the Police Services Board is required to submit budget estimates to council in the form, for the period, and on a timetable determined by council; and
Whereas council’s authority to establish an overall budget, but not approve or disapprove of specific budget items, does not limit council’s ability to comment on specific proposed expenditures and cost reduction measures, or express views in support of any measure to reduce costs; and
Whereas the Police Services Board has a statutory obligation to see that policing needs are met and the city has a legal duty to see that the necessary resources are made available,
Now therefore be it resolved that city council requests that the Sault Ste. Marie Police Services Board submit quarterly financial reports to council; and
Further that city council requests that the Sault Ste. Marie Police Services work with the city’s chief financial officer regarding future budgets by providing:
- budget requests by revenue and cost category with supporting details of variances to the prior year budget;
- trends of prior year budgets and actuals / current year estimated surplus;
- budget challenges, reduction strategies and efficiencies; and
- provide greater clarity surrounding financials
Monday's city council meeting will be livestreamed on SooToday starting at 5 p.m.