The City of Quinte West is receiving $60,893 as part of the Ontario government’s investment of more than $91 million through the Community Safety and Policing Grant Program to help protect families and communities, Tyler Allsopp, MPP for Bay of Quinte announced today.
The funding supports the City’s Community Safety and Well Being Plan by building on previous investments through the Community Safety and Policing Grant Program to build partnerships between the Quinte West Ontario Provincial Police detachment and local referral agencies with experience in victim assistance, youth programming, and mental health, addictions, and housing supports. In addition to expanding these programs, the investment would also deliver increased community awareness engagement.
“In Quinte West, we have seen the value of increased collaboration between the OPP and other service providers committed to the safety and well-being of the community,” said Allsopp.
“Today’s investment from the Community Safety and Policing Grant ensures the continuation and expansion of those important efforts.”
Quinte West Mayor, Jim Harrison, welcomed the investment.
“The City of Quinte West is grateful to receive $60,893.02 in funding through the Province’s Community Safety and Policing Grant,” he said.
“This funding supports the city’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan by strengthening localized services that assist police in connecting residents with consistent community resources, including victim support and youth programming.”
Inspector Kristy McNaughton, the OPP’s Quinte West said the plan encourages the detachment and others to work in unison to provide services aligned with local needs.
“The Community Safety and Well-Being Project is about working together with our partners to strengthen public safety and meet the needs of the community,” she said.
The project is one of 127 projects being funded across the province for 2025-26. Of the 127 projects, 88 projects will address local priorities, and 39 projects will address provincial priorities, including gun and gang related violence, sexual violence and harassment, human trafficking, mental health and addictions, hate-motivated crime, housing and homelessness, and commercial/retail theft.
“Our government is delivering on our promise to protect Ontario and keep communities safe,” said Solicitor General Michael Kerzner.
“Through this funding, we are helping to build safer communities by ensuring Ontario’s police services have the resources they need to address local issues and improve the well-being of the people they serve.”
The Community Safety and Policing Grant Program supports policing initatives that focus on local or provincial priorities and provides eligible police services/boards and municipalities policed by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) with funding to deploy front-line officers where and when they are needed most.
In 2022, Quinte West received two grant allocations: $182,679 to build on existing partnerships with St. Leonard’s Intersectional Program, Victim Services, and Addictions and Mental Health Services Hastings-Prince Edward to expand police capability to access resources, allow partner agencies to staff referral programs, and provide additional hours for a dedicated mental health officer; and $62,500 to support pilot projects for a mobile community resource unit and a wellness expo.
The Belleville Police Services Board also received funding this year through the Community Safety and Policing Grants program in the amount of $335,475 for a data-informed patrol strategy and strategic, as well as the continuation of a full-time embedded victim services worker.
(HAILEY MACDONALD)
