GORE BAY—Gore Bay council is calling on provincial authorities to explain the decision-making process concerning Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachment locations and to ensure that there will be community consultation prior to any decisions being made concerning the Gore Bay OPP detachment future.
“I continue to have concerns regarding who was responsible for making the decision on the location for the new OPP detachment office (Little Current) and on any decisions to be made on the current detachment offices,” stated Gore Bay Councillor Jack Clark at a meeting last week. “My concern continues to be that eventually we are going to be told all or some of the detachments on the Island are going to be closed and there will be no input from the public or municipalities. We need to get someone to provide information on this and state our strong concerns on this.”
“I find it interesting that our MPP (Michael Mantha) says he was surprised with the process, that Infrastructure Ontario made the decision, and how the OPP and the public did not have input on the location for the new detachment office,” said Councillor Dan Osborne.
“I understand all (Island OPP) officers will be reporting to the central office in Little Current at the start of their shifts,” said Councillor Osborne. “It doesn’t make sense for an officer in Gore Bay to have to drive to Little Current to begin their shift. And if this is the case, it opens the doors to closing other detachments. It makes no sense.”
It was noted that Manitoulin OPP Staff Sergeant Detachment Commander Kevin Webb has indicated Infrastructure Ontario made the final decision on where the new OPP detachment office is to be constructed, and the OPP did not have input.
“I don’t believe that,” stated Councillor Clark.
“I don’t know how they would be going blind into something like this taking place. I agree one hundred percent with what Jack said,” said Councillor Osborne.
“I can understand the reason (why the new detachment is being constructed and its location) the decision was made but I don’t understand the process,” said Mayor Ron Lane. “The OPP keeps saying they had no control or input on where the new detachment was going. It is the Manitoulin detachment and they had no input and were told by Infrastructure Ontario where it was going to be located? I can’t imagine the OPP has not had any say in the decision.”
“Municipalities were told clearly after the announcement was made on the new location that there would be a lot of public input on the future (of the current) detachment offices,” said Mayor Lane. Mayor Lane noted that previously he had been instructed by council to send a letter to the premier of Ontario down that if the new OPP building was to be located in Little Current, stating that regardless the town wants the detachment in Gore Bay to remain open.
“We could ask Staff Sergeant Webb or the OPP Superintendent to attend one of our meetings, or we could send another letter. Now that the tender for the new building is out, but there have been no decisions made on the detachment offices, I’m open to whatever we action we decide to take.”
Mr. Osborne said another letter has to be sent to the premier, MP Carol Hughes, MPP Michael Mantha, Staff Sergeant Webb and the OPP supervisor for the area stating council’s concerns.
“At the meeting with the OPP prior to the announcement being made that the Little Current location would be the one where the new detachment office would be opened we (Island municipal leaders) were told public consultation would be provided before any decisions were made on the detachment offices,” said Mayor Lane. “If anything has changed in this regard they misspoke.”
Council passed a resolution stating that “whereas council has continued concerns with respect to the location of OPP detachments on Manitoulin Island, specifically the continuation of the Gore Bay detachment; and whereas no consultation has occurred to date regarding this matter; therefore be it resolved that Premier Kathleen Wynne; Minister of Correctional Services; MPP Mike Mantha; MP Carol Hughes; Cary Mignault, Infrastructure Ontario; OPP Corporate Head be contacted to explain the decision making process of the detachment locations and assurance that there will be community consultation prior to any detachment closures and/or chosen locations for detachments.”
