Volunteers could soon be charged $20 for an Ottawa Police background check.
A report for the Ottawa Police Services Board recommends introducing the charge for volunteer background checks to help lower the cost of an employment background check.
The board voted last October to maintain no charge for volunteer background checks. To cover the cost of conducting all background checks, the service charges $90 for an employment background check.
Staff say that during the 2019 budget deliberations in February, they heard from several community employers and individuals that the new $90 fee created a hardship for many in the community and was too high for community organizations.
A report for Monday’s Police Services Board meeting outlines three options for background checks.
The first option would keep the status quo, with an employment background check costing $90 and a volunteer background check remaining free.
The second option would lower the cost of an employment background check to $75 and keep the volunteer background check free. Staff say $400,000 set out in the 2019 budget for background checks would be used to reduce the cost of background checks for employment.
Staff recommend the third option, which would charge volunteers $20 for a background check. The background check service fee for those seeking employment would be reduced from $90 to $65.
If approved, the background check would cost $10 until January 1, 2020 when the fee would be increased to $20.
The board will receive the report at Monday’s meeting, allowing time for public consultations on the proposed change. A final decision will be made at the June Police Services Board meeting.
