The cause of the recent exchange (see below) between a councillor and regional chair is the 10-year Durham Regional Police Services (DRPS) Service and Financing Strategy (2026-2036).
The plan, which projects a capital outlay alone of $1.1 billion, has not been approved. On May 12, the region’s finance and administration committee recommended to the regional council that this report be received for information, which it was.
Tax Impact
However, it will have an impact on Durham taxpayers – how much will depend on the new regional council to be formed after the October elections.
“With the upcoming municipal election and the potential governance changes for the region, staff are recommending that the DRPS Service and Financing Strategy be received for information with the new council providing direction on future annual property tax increases for DRPS within the broader context of the region’s budgetary pressures,” said the meeting minutes.
What Is This Police Plan?
DRPS has identified sustained and increasing service pressures resulting from population growth, urban intensification, changing service demands, and expanded legislative requirements.
DRPS indicated that these factors are contributing to increased pressure on staffing resources, response times, and overall service delivery, as well as on supporting infrastructure, including police facilities, fleet, and technology systems.
“Service demand continues to evolve not only in volume, but in complexity and duration, with a greater proportion of incidents requiring extended time on scene and specialized resources.”
In response, the DRPS Plan rests on three key pillars:
- Staffing: Phased growth in uniform and civilian positions to support service demand, legislative compliance, and operational capacity.
- Modernization: Investment in data, technology, and integrated systems to support evidence‑based policing, operational efficiency, and governance
- Capital Infrastructure: Renewal and expansion of police facilities, including major projects such as the Oshawa Police Campus, to address capacity limitations, aging assets, and legislative requirements.
Staff Increased 42% Between 2018-26
DRPS plan also said from 2018 to 2026, the Durham police staff compliment has increased by 498 positions (42 per cent), including 359 new sworn positions and 139 new civilian positions.
A new independent DRPS divisional headquarter for Ajax has been approved and announced recently.
DRPS has been acquiring new technologies recently such as drones and all terrain vehicles in its fight against crime.
DRPS Expenditure
The report said excluding major facility capital, DRPS expenditures are projected to increase by $379.9 million (99.0 per cent) from $383.7 million in 2026 to $763.6 million 2036. Total major facility capital expenditures over this time are estimated at $1.1 billion.
The capital forecast addresses past periods of project deferrals and requires a front-loaded investment, with $655.1 million, (57.4 per cent) of the total $1.14 billion forecast allocated within the first four years (2026 – 2029).
The plan says several existing police facilities are:
- Operating beyond their intended capacity,
- Are at the end of their useful life, or
- Lack the infrastructure required to support modern policing operations, training, secure evidence management, and technology-enabled service delivery.
As a result, the forecast includes major facility renewal and expansion projects with long useful lives and region-wide benefits.
In 2026, the police budget was the largest component of the region’s property tax increase of 4.8 per cent.
