A request from the LaSalle Police Services Board (LPSB) to send a letter off to Ontario's solicitor general passed unanimously at council Monday night.
The letter drafted by LaSalle mayor Crystal Meloche is requesting the province engage in discussions on creating fair and equal funding for municipal led police forces.
As reported, Meloche said it was unfair for the province to give $77-million in automatic funding to towns with OPP police forces, but towns like LaSalle do not get the same support, instead, they’re told to apply for grants, which aren’t guaranteed, and OPP towns can still apply for them too. ()
The LaSalle police budget for 2025 was approved at $10.4-million, a $1-million increase over 2024, due to wages and benefits, transfers to reserves and administrative staff.
Police chief Michael Pearce said the service has received $600,000 in grants, however he stressed LaSalle must compete with other police forces including the OPP.
"While the funding is being provided sort of without any strings attached to some municipalities, those that have their own municipal policing services have to I guess jump through hoops to obtain that funding and compete amongst each other," said Pearce.
Pearce said that, in his view, to remain competitive, police services consistently match or increase salaries, which in turn drives up policing costs for municipalities.
"Never in my 24 years of policing have we needed more police officers than we have in the last few years, and so because it's a highly competitive market, police services need to attract and retain talent, one of the ways they do that is to pay a little bit more than the next service," he said.
Coun. Terry Burns said he brought up the issue at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference.
"We have been 20 years plus being underfunded by the province compared to OPPs, and again, this year they got another 11 per cent which we did not get," Burns said.
The letter asks the province to admit the current funding setup is unfair, give equal financial support to towns with their own police, and work together to create a fair system for all communities.
-With files from CTV Windsor's Robert Lothian