Keeping residents safe and fighting crime comes at a cost, and for Bradford that’s expected to be about $14.24 million in 2025. That’s an increase of more than $1 million from the $13.2 million estimated in the 2025 draft budget.
Based on a report from Ian Goodfellow, Bradford’s director of finance and treasurer, council approved the South Simcoe Police Service’s 2025 budget with updated amounts of about $27.93 million for operating and about $1.85 million for capital expenses, during its Jan 21 meeting.
Council also approved funding Bradford’s share and its costs for the South Division facility with about $92,000 of court security and prisoner transportation grant revenue, about $234,000 from the police capital expenditure reserve fund, about $1.77 million of proceeds from the town’s automated speed enforcement (ASE) program and a property tax levy of about $12.14 million.
As a result, Goodfellow estimates the average homeowner in Bradford (assessed at $516,919) will pay about $736 of property taxes for police purposes in 2025, a decrease of about $2.40 — or .33 per cent — compared to 2024.
According to the report, the updated police costs could still boost the total tax levy increase for 2025 beyond the 2.7-per-cent increase determined in November to 2.83 per cent, but the town is currently waiting on finalized 2025 tax policies from the County of Simcoe before setting its own.
Council approved the recommendations from Goodfellow without debate, and Mayor James Leduc emphasized his intention to have staff make the necessary adjustments to maintain the 2.7-per-cent increase.
The police services of Innisfil and Bradford were amalgamated in 1997. Since 2010, the cost-sharing agreement between the two municipalities has been updated annually based on population, number of households and other factors.
Bradford’s share of the costs will increase slightly in 2025 to 46.89 per cent compared to about 46.85 per cent in 2024, while Innisfil’s share will decrease to 53.11 per cent compared to 53.14 per cent in 2024.
According to the report about $7,547 of the cost-sharing responsibility has been shifted to Innisfil for 2025 as a result of Bradford’s population increasing by an estimated 349 households this year, compared to an estimated increase of 372 households in Innisfil.
Bradford council is expected to consider an amendment to the bylaw for the amalgamation agreement at its next meeting on Feb. 4.