BlackburnNews.com photoBlackburnNews.com photo
Chatham

Big Policing Savings For Leamington

The Town of Leamington can expect to save more than $760,000 in Ontario Provincial Policing costs this year.

Mayor John Paterson says the Association of Municipalities of Ontario won "a long fight" to change the costing formula in OPP contracts.

"In that win, they came up with a base policing cost that every municipality in Ontario with the OPP would have to pay," he says. "A lot of us were paying a much higher amount than some of the other municipalities, so it was unfair."

In 2015, when the OPP agreed to start phasing in the new formula, the cost per household in Leamington was $509.82.

Director of Finance and Business Services Ramona Nordemann says the estimated cost this year is $443.43.

Paterson says that doesn't include calls for service.

"Unfortunately, nobody in the OPP or anywhere has been able to tell us what that will mean," says Paterson.

Leamington paid $5,823,000 under its contract with the OPP and can expect to pay out $5,062,901 in 2016.

Paterson says the new contract will impact policing costs in Tecumseh and Essex as well.

Read More Local Stories