Ottawa Police Services Board approves smaller 2022 budget increase
The Ottawa Police Services Board has approved a funding increase for the police force in 2022, but it's going to be slightly smaller than initially drafted.
The 2022 draft Ottawa Police Service budget had called for a 2.86 per cent increase in funding over 2021 levels, which amounted to an extra $14.1 million. This, despite a direction to staff at the start of the budget process to draft the operating budget that "assumes a zero per cent increase as its base."
Nearly five hours of public delegations at Monday's police services board meeting called on the board to freeze the budget, which required that the meeting adjourn Monday and resume Tuesday. Protesters at a highway on-ramp and outside police headquarters during the meetings Monday and Tuesday also demanded the budget be frozen.
Tuesday evening, the board unanimously approved a motion introduced by Coun. Rawlson King to cut $2.65 million from the planned increase, which would give the police an extra $11.45 million in 2022, or a two per cent increase over 2021 funding levels.
According to King's motion, seconded by Coun. Carol Anne Meehan, $650,000 would come from reserve funds and the remaining $2 million would come from additional efficiencies.
King said the motion is meant to give the police the funding they need while also taking into account the community's concerns.
"What this motion attempts to do is strike that delicate balance, ensuring that we live up to our legal obligations but, as well, that we listen to the community in terms of the way forward," he said.
However, Police Chief Peter Sloly suggested the smaller funding increase would negatively impact the police service.
"I have to tell you, I probably won't sleep much tonight," he said.
"Whatever we do to rightfully, and I hope righteously, take demand away from police officers and civilian members of this organization that relates to mental health and addictions, people in crisis, if that's going to happen, truly happen, there needs to be a level of accountability that we can all go to sleep at night knowing that at 2 o'clock in the morning, 3 o'clock in the morning, 11 o'clock at night, on a statutory holiday, on Christmas Eve, when there's a full moon outside, and a call comes in somewhere in the system that is Ottawa that says, in 2021 it would go to the Ottawa Police Service 911 system, that that goes somewhere else and somebody else from another service agency picks it up and responds, that's my concern."
Sloly warned that trimming the budget could set the force back years, giving an example from the 2012 budget.
"If we make the same mistake last time, which was just a cut, and we don't build in the commitment to co-produce something better, this will end up being just that—a cut that will hurt this police service, and hurt this city, and hurt those that need it most, which are most from the BIPOC community… Please do not make the same mistake that the previous board and the previous city did when they cut this organization to the bone."
Despite the chief's warnings, the motion to approve a two per cent increase versus a nearly three per cent increase was approved. Board chair Coun. Diane Deans thanked the members for their approval.
"I believe that this budget is a reflection of the change that this board has committed to," Deans said. "Some will say we didn’t go far enough. You will hear other say perhaps we've gone too far. I guess if everyone is equally concerned, maybe we've hit that sweet spot."
Within minutes of the budget passing, Horizon Ottawa, members of which were among the dozens of delegates calling for a freeze on Monday, condemned the two per cent increase, calling it a "half measure that doesn’t go far enough to keep marginalized residents safe."
Deans then presented a motion that would be presented to city council calling for the $2.65 million savings from the police budget be allocated to the city's community and social services department to work on a mental health crisis response pilot project.
However, Deans' motion was criticized by Sloly for not explicitly mentioning the Ottawa Police Service as partners in the proposed pilot project.
"I've said it over and over again, I am not going to be supporting anything that does not explicitly have the support of the board to explicitly have the police directly involved in anything like this," he said.
Deans said that she believed the police service would be included in the Guiding Council that was mentioned in the motion, but agreed to work offline with Sloly on rewording the motion before it is presented to council.
City council votes on the full 2022 budget on Dec. 8.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Kinew, Poilievre meet at Manitoba legislature, discuss each other's priorities
Premier Wab Kinew and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre met at the Manitoba legislature Thursday afternoon.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.