2025 Budget Infograph
Hamilton Police Service presented its 2025 Operating and Capital Budget to the Hamilton Police Service Board (HPSB) today. The budget was approved and will move forward to the City of Hamilton General Issues Committee (GIC) on January 28, 2025.
The proposed budget is a commitment to maintaining core services outlined in the Community Safety and Policing Act (CSPA), delivering on the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan and responding to legislative requirements. The budget includes a 5.7 per cent increase or $12.3 million.
It also highlights the Service’s alignment to the Mayoral Directive asking agencies to respond to economic challenges and advancing council identified priorities such as safe and thriving neighbourhoods.
“This budget represents what we need, not what we want. As a Service, we have been diligent in finding efficiencies and using our reserves to offset the burden on the taxpayer,” says Hamilton Police Chief Frank Bergen. “Our budget has been developed to be where we need to be, manage the complexities of a large city and appropriately resource our Service, while reflecting the realities of policing in Hamilton.”
2025 Budget Drivers
The main cost drivers of the proposed 2025 Operating and Capital Budget are sustaining core services, legislative requirements, WSIB Pressures, and Technology Requirements. These include collective agreements, contractual obligations, new regulations from the CSPA, upgraded body armour, phase-in strategy for WSIB legislation changes, body worn cameras and cybersecurity enhancements.
Financial Highlights
The gross operating and capital budget totals $227 million, representing a combined increase of $12.3 million or 5.70 per cent over the 2024 budget. This equates to an approximate $35 increase to the average homeowner.
Efficiencies
Hamilton Police are working to better support community needs by partnering with agencies through programs like the Rapid Intervention and Support Team to reduce the demand for police response. In addition to partnerships, Hamilton Police saved the equivalent of 17,689 officer hours by providing alternative ways to report to police such as online reporting.
Throughout the budget process, Senior Command and Board Budget Committee also considered alternative options for the 2025 Operating and Capital Budget.
Recognizing the challenges facing the community, Senior Command reviewed all budget submissions and identified measures to reduce budget pressures by 4 per cent as well as using nearly $1.5 million in reserves to offset the burden on the taxpayer.
For the full budget report, click here.