$390M budgets for York police get first approval

The $42-million capital budget, approved by the police services board, includes a new $26-million station serving Aurora, Newmarket and East Gwillimbury

Newmarkettoday.ca
Oct. 28, 2019

While the York Regional Police services board has approved a boost of more than 4 per cent for the force's 2020 operating budget to $348 million, York Region still has the lowest policing cost per capita in the country among comparable services, according to the board.

A capital budget of more than $42 million, which includes $26.6 million for construction of a new district one station serving Aurora, Newmarket and East Gwillimbury, also received the thumbs up from the police services board at its Oct. 23 meeting.

The operating budget, which is an increase of 4.17 per cent over the 2019 budget, includes the addition of 34 police officers and civilian members to address the impact of the region's growth on front-line policing and workload pressures, including call centre communications and administrative functions.

"The 2020 police operating budget continues to maintain the lowest policing cost per capita in Canada among comparable police services serving populations of over one million residents," the board report states.

The police services board also approved the 2020 capital budget of $42.4 million, with a capital spend authority of $57.4 million, which includes $6.2 million for vehicles, $5.8 million for information technology, $3.3 million for specialized equipment and $400,000 for communication equipment.

Financing for the capital budget is a combination of contributions from reserves, debenture proceeds repaid from development charges, debt reduction reserve funding, development charge collections and external funding, according to the board report

The 2020 police budget will be tabled for York Region council's approval in December.