The Ontario Progressive Conservatives say they will invest millions of additional dollars in policing in southwestern Ontario if they are re-elected in June.
Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Monte McNaughton announced $23.2 million in funding for police services from the London region to Windsor on Friday. According to McNaughton, the money will go towards things like road safety, mental health supports, and community outreach programs.
“Day in and day out, our local police are there for us when they’re needed most,” McNaughton said. “Our government is proud to support them, and this investment means they will be able to expand critical supports and services across southwestern Ontario to serve the most vulnerable members of our community and continue to protect us all.”
The funding comes from the Community Safety and Policing Grant program and will be paid out over three years, beginning in the 2022-2023 fiscal year. In all, 90 police services in Ontario will receive funding for 147 public safety initiatives..
The funding allocations are as follows:
London Police Service: $8,672,843 for Community foot patrol unit in the downtown core.
Windsor Police Service: $6,814,980 for community opioid and substance use reduction, community outreach and support team, and mobile crisis rapid response team.
Chatham-Kent Police Service: $2,613,570 for supporting mental health and addiction in the community, and grassroots social issues.
St. Thomas Police Service: $1,785,766 for improving support for domestic violence survivors and victims, and a foot patrol team and mobile outreach teams for early intervention and de-escalation for people in crisis.
Strathroy-Caradoc Police Service: $637,566 for road safety, mental health supports, and human trafficking education.
Aylmer Police Service: $403,929 for School and Peers Liaison Officers, mental health crisis team, and support for domestic violence survivors and victims.
Essex Police Services Board: $1,250,648 for mobile crisis response team, mental health response unit, youth crisis response team.
LaSalle Police Service: $674,388 for community outreach and support team, traffic enforcement.
Elgin Group Police Services Board: $2,613,570 for supporting mental health and addition in the community, and grassroots social issues.
According to the province, police services will have to file reports twice a year to outline their financial activities and outcomes of their initiatives.