WELLINGTON COUNTY – Increased costs for provincial policing services have created unexpected changes to the County of Wellington's portion of the 2025 budget.
According to a report on the 2025 Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) contract, changes like pay increases for officers have put next year's bill for service at $20,375,886- representing an overall cost increase per property of $54.87 or 12.8 per cent compared to 2024.
The increase will add approximately two per cent to the county's 2025 tax levy, which is 1.7 per cent higher than staff previously projected.
In the report, staff said the new OPP billing estimate represents an increase of $2.5 million over 2024, which is "significantly higher" than was forecast in the county's 10-year plan and $2.1 million higher than last year’s projection.
The contract was previously projected at just under $18.3 million in 2025.
The total 2025 OPP contract budget includes costs for the base service, calls for service, plus overtime, contract enhancements and prisoner transportation costs.
The report was received for information at an OPP detachment board committee meeting earlier this month and will head to county council for approval next week.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
