Grey County Council has been informed of rising court security costs following the release of the City of Owen Sound's 2024 Annual Financial Report.
The report shows that the county will need to cover a shortfall of nearly $120,000 in the 2025 budget due to increased expenses for court security and prisoner transportation services.
County CAO Randy Scherzer said the Owen Sound Police Service has reported that the shortfall stems from a combination of factors
"Hybrid court operations still require in-person bail hearings. Four new part-time special constables began training in December '24, increasing staffing costs. Prisoner transports increased by 265 per cent from 2023 to 2024," Scherzer explained. "There was a court backlog from COVID that they were still dealing with, and that has led to more cases and longer trials. And they noted that violent crime and homicide cases have increased, requiring dedicated security personnel. They also noted virtual hearings have declined, leading to more in-person appearances and higher resource demands, and bail hearings now require in-person attendance for consolidation purposes."
The City of Owen Sound, which hosts local Superior and Ontario Court of Justice locations, relies on a provincial Court Security and Prisoner Transportation (CSPT) grant. However, the grant is based on historical costs and does not fully cover current expenditures, leaving municipalities to make up the difference. Grey County agreed to help offset the cost.
Adding to the financial pressure, the Ministry of the Solicitor General implemented new court security directives on August 11.
"A single public entrance for all court premises was part of those directives, mandatory screening with metal detectors or wands, and that an armed officer be present on every floor of court facilities," Scherzer pointed out. "Owen Sound Police Service began implementing these measures at the POA Court in the Grey County Administration Building, which will result in increased staffing and costs."
While the full scope of these directives is still being clarified, the additional staffing requirements are expected to further increase costs in 2026 and beyond.
Council has directed staff to fund the 2025 shortfall from any surplus within the Corporate Services budget or, if necessary, the One-Time Funding Reserve. Officials also plan to send a letter to the Ministry of the Solicitor General and the Ministry of the Attorney General advocating for additional provincial funding to cover these mandated security measures.
The county’s involvement in funding court security through the new contribution agreement ensures that costs are shared fairly between the City of Owen Sound and Grey County, rather than placing an undue burden solely on local taxpayers.
