ACTUALITÉ / NEWS
Hawkesbury pays twice more than
County police cost debate
regional average for O.P.P. service
underlines big differences
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Richard.mahoney@eap.on.ca
Caisse d’Argenteuil
P LEASANT
C ORNER
First draw June 5, 2012
A debate over an Ontario Provincial Police cost analysis has highlighted differences
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among municipalities – both in both political and financial terms.
At the political level, there is no consensus on themerits of a plan by the united counties
of Prescott-Russell to ask the O.P.P. for an estimate on a regional service contract. Seven
of the eight municipalities have approved the idea. The lone dissenter is Champlain
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Township, which is convinced any new deal would be more expensive for its taxpayers.
In dollar terms, figures presented to Champlain council by chief administrator Jean
Thériault show that there is large discrepancy between the prices each municipality pays
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for O.P.P. services.
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At a cost of $310 per person, Hawkesbury pays about $200 per capita more than its
neighbours, and $150 more than the regional per capita cost of $147.58. That gap will
likely be bigger this year. The $310 figure is based on a bill of $3.3 million; the current bill
is about $4 million for Hawkesbury, the only municipality in Prescott-Russell that does
not receive police service subsidies.
All eight municipalities pay a total of $13.5 million now for police services. Champlain
pays about $1 million or $99.21 per capita.
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If a regional contract is to be negotiated, in order to maintain Champlain’s cost at the
current level, the O.P.P. would have to
reduce that total to $9.6 million, estimates
Thériault. Plus, the counties would not
receive the police subsidies.
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“Municipalities have nothing to lose.
You will not be forced to accept something
youdonotwant,”countychiefadministrator
Stéphane Parisien told Champlain council
last week. “I believe that there will be an
economy of scale. Champlain now pays 10
per cent of the county levy. If the O.P.P. bill
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comes in at $10 million, you would still be
paying about $l million. Champlain has
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little to lose; Hawkesburywouldwin in this
equation.”
Stressing, “You do not have to marry the
seven othersmunicipalities,” Parisien notes
that the counties will still likely proceed
with the request. “I amnot trying to sell you
anything. I am shopping for a car and I
want a quote. It would be easier if you were
all in.”
A cost analysis by theO.P.P could take as
long as two years to complete. There is no
guarantee that the police will agree to carry
out an assessment. “The O.P.P. is not
favourable to having regional contracts,”
comments Parisien.
Should a regional deal be reached, the
proposal would have to be approved by the
majority of county council members and
the majority of municipal councils
representing themajority of the population.
ModèleSLT illustré
The large municipalities would control
the outcome of any vote, Champlain
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members say. Acting Mayor Paul Emile
Duval failed to convince his colleagues to
rescind their opposition to the study. “We
are only looking for a price,” he said. But
othermemberswere adamant. “I don’t trust
that,” said Councillor Pierre Perreault. “We
are happy with the price we have now,”
added Councillor Helen MacLeod. “The
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countieswillgetanestimatewithorwithout
us,” observed Councillor Normand Riopel.
Hawkesbury is among the Ontario
municipalities that have been protesting
the province’s cost-sharing formula, which
forces towns like Hawkesbury to foot the
entire bill for Ontario Provincial Police
services. Under Section 10 of the Ontario
Police Services Act, Hawkesbury is required
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to pay 100 per cent of its O.P.P. bill, which
was expected to be about $4 million in 2011.
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However, other municipalities in Prescott
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County, served by the same detachment,
receive provincial grants under the Ontario
Municipal Partnership Fund to help offset
their policing expenses because they fall
under a different section of the Act.
Police protection cost Hawkesbury
ModèleSLT illustré
taxpayers about $3.2 million in 2009,
$2,987,739 in 2008 and $2,955,148 in 2007.
Traditionally, 60 per cent of the calls
handled by the detachment have come from
Hawkesbury, while the balance originates
from Alfred-Plantagenet, Champlain, East
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Hawkesbury and a part of The Nation.
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