Item No. 7..1.1

Dear Head of Council/Chief Administrative Officer/Municipal Clerk: April 24, 2020

Police Services Act As you may know, on January 1, 2019, amendments to the (PSA) came into force, which mandate every municipality in Ontario to prepare and adopt a Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) plan.

As part of these legislative requirements, municipalities must consult with chiefs of police and police services boards or detachment commanders and various other sectors, including health/mental health, education, community/social services and children/youth services, as they undertake the planning process. As previously communicated, municipalities had two years from the in-force date to prepare and adopt their first CSWB plan (i.e., by January 1, 2021). Municipalities also have the flexibility to develop joint plans with neighbouring municipalities and/or First Nations communities, which may be valuable in order to meet the unique needs of the area.

With the COVID-19 outbreak, our government appreciates that municipalities are currently facing unprecedented circumstances in their communities. We also understand that some municipalities may experience delays in their planning and engagement processes as a result of the current provincial emergency.

In order to support our municipal, policing and community partners during this Coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency, on April 14, 2020, the government passed the Support and Protection Act, 2020, which amends the PSA to allow the Solicitor General to prescribe a new deadline for the completion and adoption of CSWB plans past January 1, 2021. The amendments came into force immediately upon Royal Assent. This change will help ensure municipalities are able to meet the legislative requirements and complete their CSWB plans. The Ministry of the Solicitor General (ministry) will work with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, as well as the City of Toronto, to determine an appropriate new deadline that will be set by regulation at a later date. For reference, the new Act can be found at the following link: https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-42/session-1/bill-189

This extension will ensure municipalities, police services and local service providers can continue to dedicate the necessary capacity and resources to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, while also providing adequate time to effectively undertake consultations, work collaboratively with partners, and develop meaningful and fulsome plans following the provincial emergency. Where possible, municipalities are encouraged to explore Head of Council/Chief Administrative Officer/Municipal Clerk