Grey County To Cover $370,000 Court Security Shortfall As New Provincial Directives Add Costs
Grey County will cover the shortfall in Owen Sound court security costs, with new provincial directives set to add more pressure in 2026.
Grey County voted today to cover a court security shortfall of nearly $370,000 in Owen Sound, with further financial pressures expected after new provincial security directives came into effect this summer.
The update came in a staff report included in County Council’s September 25 consent agenda. The agreement formalizes the County’s role in paying the difference between Owen Sound’s actual costs for court security and prisoner transportation and the province’s annual grant.
Owen Sound hosts the Superior Court and Ontario Court of Justice locations that serve the broader region.
The city’s 2024 shortfall amounted to $369,968.14, about $120,000 higher than what Grey had budgeted for 2025. County staff recommend covering the gap through any surplus in the Corporate Services budget or, if necessary, the One-Time Funding Reserve.
The higher-than-expected costs were linked to more prisoner transports, additional hours for special constables, a return to in-person court appearances, and an increase in violent crime and homicide cases requiring dedicated security.
In addition to these pressures, new directives from the Ministry of the Solicitor General took effect on August 11, 2025. The measures require a single public entrance at court facilities, screening with wands or metal detectors, and armed officers on site.
Owen Sound Police have already begun providing armed officers at the Provincial Offences Court in the Grey County Administration Building.
County staff warned that the added requirements will increase security costs in 2026 and beyond. A letter from Warden Andrea Matrosovs will be sent to the Solicitor General and Attorney General, urging the province to fund the new measures.
In discussing the motion, Councillor Barbara Dobreen from Southgate asked that the letter also be sent to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, as she also intends to raise the issue as a concern at their next meeting.
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