The Peterborough police service board made short work of a city council request that it review the police service’s proposed 2026 budget for potential reduction by reaffirming the original requested increase of 9.22 per cent in 2026.
On Wednesday afternoon (November 19), the board — provincial appointee and chair Mary ten Doeschate, provincial appointee and vice-chair Drew Merrett, Peterborough mayor Jeff Leal, Peterborough city councillor Baldwin, and citizens’ appointee Steven Girardi — met virtually along with police chief Stuart Betts and deputy chief Jamie Harnett.
The day before, when meeting as general committee to review the city’s draft 2026 budget, council voted 6-5 to send the proposed police budget back to the police service board for potential reductions, despite city staff warning council that doing so could delay the city’s draft 2026 budget beyond the scheduled December 8 approval date.
The police service board has requested a 9.22 per cent increase in the police operating budget in 2026. The original ask was for $41,506,841, representing an increase of 9.8 per cent ($3,704,600) over 2025, but was subsequently decreased by an estimated $220,000 reduction in benefits for police employees.
During a November 10 presentation of the 2026 police budget to city council, Chief Betts said the requested increase was driven by personnel costs related to legislative and regulatory requirements of the province’s Community Safety and Policing Act.
He said those requirements required the addition of 10 new full-time equivalent positions, including two new officers, six full-time civilian positions, and four part-time civilian positions, as well as non-personnel costs including training and information technology.
At Wednesday’s meeting, the police service board met for 20 minutes in closed session before returning to public session with a motion from Mayor Leal that had been unanimously approved by the board.
“The Peterborough Police Services Board has reviewed its budget, and it will remain at the requested level of 9.22 per cent for 2026,” the mayor said, reading his motion. “The police services board notifies the City of Peterborough clerk John Kennedy of this decision, and asks that the clerk distribute the decision to all members of Peterborough city council.”
The board then adjourned its meeting with no further discussion.
