Montreal Police Would Get A Huge $45-Million Boost In The City's Proposed 2022 Budget

Montreal's police budget is getting a substantial boost again. An additional $45 million is earmarked for the SPVM in 2022 – one of the biggest cash injections the city's police force has ever received.

"The budget of the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) has been increased by $45 million and now totals $724 million. Mixed squads will be added to the SPVM and will further improve the fight against violent incidents," explained a press release.

On Wednesday, the City of Montreal unveiled its 2022 Budget proposal. Sneaking in amongst all the Omicron news, the timing administration's latest budget proposal was met with some raised eyebrows by the opposition party, Ensemble Montréal.

According to Mayor Valérie Plante, the proposed 2022 Budget "is a responsible budget that respects the population's ability to spend. It is also consistent with the priorities that guide our actions and that we share with the population, namely the affordability of the metropolis, urban safety, environmental resilience and the vitality of our neighbourhoods."

"The turbulent times are far from over and we have an obligation to put a lot of energy into helping Montrealers emerge from the pandemic, we must stay the course on the need to build our future together," added Dominique Ollivier, President of the Executive Committee.

But it seems that the future means, once again, more money for the police and less money for community services and groups, and fighting poverty in the metropolis.

(The increased police funding isn't a complete surprise, given the rhetoric around policing, violent crime and public safety in Montreal during the election campaign.)

The proposed investments in "public security" represent 17.7% of the city's entire operating budget for 2022 — more than any other investment.

The SPVM's proposed $45 million cash injection is more than is planned in 2022 for support for the homeless ($5.9 million), more than is planned for fighting "poverty and exclusion" ($10 million), and more than community groups who do "crucial work in crime prevention" will receive ($20 million, over 4 years).

According to official documents, the SPVM will use $17 million of its total budget to purchase body cameras, $52.6 million of its total budget to improve 911 services and $1.2 million in "the fight against conjugal violence."