THUNDER BAY — For the past 25 years the Thunder Bay Police Service has been serving the people of Oliver Paipoonge, an agreement that Mayor Ken Boshcoff says is a win-win for both communities.
“The fact that we can cooperate municipality to municipality, I think does excellent productivity both in crime prevention, utility of our rural service for policing, and the fact that we know there is a role and saves Oliver Paipoonge a lot of money in investing the capital,” Boshcoff said. “So to me it’s a win-win.”
The Thunder Bay Police Services Board passed a motion on Tuesday recommending the contract to provide policing services to Oliver Paipoonge be extended another five years.
The current contact is set to expire on Dec. 31, 2023.
The two municipalities have entered into agreements for the last 25 years to have the Thunder Bay Police Service provide policing to the municipality in five-year increments.
“I think it’s great,” said Thunder Bay Police Service deputy chief Ryan Hughes. “We have a great partnership with Oliver Paipoonge and our officers love working out there. It connects the city of Thunder Bay and the municipality of Oliver Paipoogne together. I think it’s good for our service and for Oliver Paipoonge and our city.”
As part of the agreement, the municipality of Oliver Paipoonge agrees to pay a cost recovery estimated at $75,000 for the acquisition and outfitting of a police vehicle.
The last agreement included $47,100 for the acquisition of a police vehicle that was used twice during the five-year contract.
The renewal agreement also provides for annual operating revenue of $1,276,764 for 2024, which is an increase of $41,000 from 2023.
Oliver Paipoonge passed a bylaw in November supporting the renewal of the contract for five years.
The final decision on extending the contract will be put to Thunder Bay city council.
Hughes said if the Ontario Provincial Police were to take over policing in the municipality, the money spent by the Thunder Bay Police Service would go to other areas.
But Boshcoff said the decision to go with the OPP would need to be made by the municipality of Oliver Paipoonge.
“The comparison would be at the choice of Oliver Paipoonge,” he said. “Should the OPP win a contract, Oliver Paipoonge is its own municipality and can make its own decisions. So we would accept whatever they decide.”
