Mayor David Gordon spoke about new policing legislation at Monday night’s North Grenville Council meeting.
Gordon says residents across the province should be looking at the new policing legislation that was introduced at Queen’s Park in November of last year.
In his report, Gordon pointed to a release by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario regarding the new legislation. It speaks to key municipal implications.
One of those implications is the mandate for municipalities to develop Community Safety and Well-Being Plans. AMO says those plans could have significant municipal impact. It says all municipalities will have to establish an advisory committee which includes community service representatives from the Local Health Integration Network, health care, education, social services, child services, an elected official, a police service board member, and other positions as required. Municipalities would then have to develop a plan to mitigate crime, addiction, drug overdose, among a number of requirements.
AMO says that, from its understanding, failure to comply with this requirement would mean the appointment of a community safety planner by the Ministry which would develop and implement the plan. The cost would then be passed on to the municipality.
This is just one of the many key municipal issues brought up by the report. AMO says the government is hoping the package of reforms will become law by the end of the year.
You can learn more by reading Mayor David Gordon’s Council Report here.