A request for a funding increase of 2.76 per cent by Toronto Police Services for its 2016 budget has been granted by the civilian oversight board.
The budget meeting was held before the board at the Toronto Police Headquarters on Nov.12. The board, which includes Mayor John Tory and former budget chief Shelley Carroll, unanimously approved the request, which will result in about $27 million in extra funding.
This approval came just less than a month after the same board rejected TPS’ request for a 3.69 per cent increase in funding. The approved budget is the first in TPS history to surpass the billion dollar mark.
About $21.2 million of the new money will be spent on rising labour costs that stem from the new collective bargaining agreement struck between the city and TPS, police chief Mark Saunders said.
The Nov. 12 meeting featured a presentation from the Child and Youth Advocacy Centre and the Mobile Crisis Intervention Team. TPS intends on using the rest to help fund communities that lack resources on mental health and help for child abuse. More funding will go to specialized criminal investigations as well, namely on child and sexual abuse in Toronto.
City Council is still yet to vote for the 2016 budget.
