owen_sound_reporter2

owen_sound_reporter2

One-Sentence Summary

Council heard Rogers cable technical issues, considered the Director of Corporate Services’ presentation on Mayor’s proposed budget requirements and essential service stability, then adopted By-law 2026-006 to confirm proceedings regarding the transition from mayor’s draft to Council official budget for Owen Sound.

Whole Meeting Summary

On January 16th, 2026, the Owen Sound City Council held a special meeting where it discussed technical matters regarding Rogers cable prior to addressing motion number two concerning moving into closed session. City Council concluded a closed session discussion regarding the mayor’s proposed budget under solicitor-client privilege and subsequently returned to open session without issuing any formal directions or decisions on the matter. A motion was moved and carried to receive a letter from Solicitor General Michael S. Kurzner and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack regarding the Police Services Board budget as presented in this agenda item without further procedural action or outcome determination recorded within the source text provided for summary purposes today. The Director of Corporate Services presented the Mayor’s proposed 2026 balanced levy incorporating essential service stability, capital increases for police and library services, and staff-drafted budget inputs gathered through October to December meetings with Council members under new provincial legislation requiring a draft by December 2025. The Owen Sound Police Service presented its 2026 Draft Budget under a directive limiting the total levy increase to no higher than 5.5% while maintaining the dedicated Capital Levy at exactly one percent due to insurance cost rises, operational pressures from mental health calls, and staffing constraints that jeopardize provincial court security grants if four new officers are not hired. The Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library CEO presented a 2026 draft budget request representing a 10.97% increase to address significant funding gaps compared to other Ontario libraries of similar size, citing that half a million dollars in unaddressed inequity over ten years has created current staffing deficits and service gaps while social determinants of health drive community needs within an aging population forcing staff to handle complex situations involving unhoused individuals, mental health crises, and addiction issues which were not significant challenges prior to 201 Council adopted By-law 2026-006 to confirm proceedings regarding the transition from the mayor’s draft budget to Council’s official budget for Owen Sound, as a motion that committee of the whole rise and report on this matter.

Most Newsworthy Items

Rising Mental Health Calls Inflate Statistics Amid Flat Staffing: The Owen Sound Police Service reports that calls involving mental illness increased by 16% between 2024 and 2025, then jumped to a 36% increase in the following year, with nearly ten percent of total call volume now flagged as having a mental health connection. Officers note that frequent flyers often have destabilizing conditions like cognitive impairment or addiction issues which inflate these statistics when arrests result from behaviors linked to those underlying struggles. Despite rising crime volumes and rates compared to similar municipalities over the last decade, the service maintains high clearance rates tied for second place in Ontario while staffing levels remain relatively flat since 2022.
New Regulations Drive Compliance Costs and Operational Pressures: The presentation outlines the complex public safety environment driven by strict new regulations under the Community Safety Policing Act, which mandates significant compliance costs without provincial funding support.
A motion was moved and carried to receive a letter from Solicitor: A motion was moved and carried to receive a letter from Solicitor General Michael S.
Library Staffing Deficit Hinders Safety and Outreach in Aging Community: The Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library CEO presents data comparing their staffing levels against similar libraries in towns with smaller populations, highlighting a significant deficit that hinders safety, digitization, and outreach services like those in Chatsworth and Georgetown Bluffs. the library’s reliance on non-municipal revenue and volunteer support while addressing concerns about whether increased municipal funding requests jeopardize existing agreements or strain partner relationships. Council members discuss the impact of open card policies on membership statistics following pandemic drops and address the reality that staff must now handle complex situations involving unhoused individuals, mental health crises, and addiction issues which were not significant challenges prior to 2010.

Meeting Recap

2 MOTION TO MOVE INTO CLOSED SESSION

On January 16th, 2026, Owen Sound City Council convened a special meeting. The council addressed technical issues with Rogers cable before proceeding to item number two.

3 REPORTING OUT OF CLOSED SESSION

City Council returned to open session having discussed matters subject to solicitor-client privilege concerning the upcoming mayor’s proposed budget without providing any direction.

6.a Letter from The Honourable Michael S

A motion was moved and carried to receive a letter from Solicitor General Michael S. Kurzner and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack regarding the Police Services Board budget.

7.a Presentation from the Director of Corporate Services Re 2026 Mayor’s Proposed

The Director of Speaker 01 explained that under new provincial legislation granting strong mayor powers, the Mayor is legally required to prepare a draft budget by December 2025 for Council amendment via majority-of-majority vote before final adoption. The proposed balanced levy incorporates essential service stability despite rising pressures from wages and inflation, covering municipal operations including capital increases for police and library services. Staff prepared a draft through October followed by one-on-one meetings with Council members in November and December to gather input on operating budgets.

7.b Presentation from the Chief of Police Re Owen Sound Police Service

The Owen Sound Police Service presented its 2026 Draft Budget under a directive limiting the total levy increase to no higher than 5.5% while maintaining the dedicated Capital Levy at exactly one percent. Speaker 02 explained that an insurance cost rise of $50,000 accounts for 82% of the base budget increase due to market volatility and new provincial regulations restricting body transport and increasing digital storage demands. To address rising operational pressures from mental health calls which jumped 36%, static staffing levels since 2016 cannot meet doubled service needs despite significant wage adjustments ranging from 12% to 25%. The department warns that failing to hire four new officers jeopardizes provincial court security grants and risks fraud accusations, while a strategy of drawing down reserves defers rather than eliminates future tax pressure. Realignment of seasonal positions into full-time roles reduces turnover but results in a net increase around $40,000 after offsetting summer staff savings.

7.c Presentation from the Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library

The Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library CEO presented a 2026 draft budget request representing a 10.97% increase to address significant funding gaps compared to other Ontario libraries of similar size, citing that half a million dollars in unaddressed inequity over ten years has created current staffing deficits and service gaps. The presentation highlights how social determinants of health drive community needs within an aging population, forcing staff to handle complex situations involving unhoused individuals, mental health crises, and addiction issues which were not significant challenges prior to 2010. Councillors debated a proposed amendment to increase the dedicated capital levy from one percent to two percent because current funding levels fail to meet identified asset needs for major renovations like fire hall expansion while forcing reliance on debt. Speaker 03 argued that Owen Sound remains an expensive city with low family incomes, noting that police and fire services alone now consume over thirty percent of the municipal budget alongside legal costs reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars due to provincial failures to subsidize OPP policing or allow composite departments for smaller municipalities.

8 MOTION THAT COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE RISE AND REPORT

Council adopted By-law 2026-006 to confirm proceedings regarding the transition from the mayor’s draft budget to Council’s official budget for Owen Sound.