Policing Collaboration Talks Between Owen Sound and West Grey Are Over
Plans to explore shared policing services between Owen Sound and West Grey have ended following a lack of union endorsement, City staff report.
A proposed study to explore the feasibility of joint policing services between the Owen Sound Police Service and the West Grey Police Service has been formally cancelled, following a decision by the West Grey Police Association not to endorse the initiative.
The update, detailed in a staff report submitted to Owen Sound City Council by City Manager Tim Simmonds as part of Monday’s meeting agenda, confirms that without the participation of police associations, the project cannot proceed.
The initiative was first brought forward on September 23, 2024, when Owen Sound Council endorsed a motion introduced by Mayor Ian Boddy directing the City Manager to begin discussions with West Grey.
The goal was to evaluate whether joint municipal policing could offer improved service delivery, cost efficiencies, or administrative benefits.
Planning for the project was well underway, including the development of a project charter, several meetings between both police chiefs and municipal staff, and the proposed formation of a joint municipal task force.
The task force, which would have included representatives from both councils and their respective police services boards, aimed to guide the research and ensure accountability and transparency throughout the process.
Although no direct costs were incurred, the City of Owen Sound invested approximately 75 hours of staff time in early planning and coordination, according to the City Manager’s report.
However, correspondence from West Grey Police Association President Ben Meyer, dated June 4, 2025, confirmed that the Association would not support moving forward.
The staff report emphasizes that support from frontline police associations is essential in any initiative that could impact job roles, working conditions, or collective agreements. Their involvement is described as critical to ensuring collaborative, fair, and sustainable decision-making.
The report also situates the project within the broader context of the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, which came into force in April 2024. The Act introduced new performance standards, enhanced oversight mechanisms, and greater administrative demands—changes that are expected to place increased pressure on small and mid-sized police services like Owen Sound and West Grey.
Regional cooperation had been seen as one potential response to these evolving expectations.
The full report (CM-25-012) is included on Owen Sound Council’s next agenda, where it will be submitted for informational purposes only. No decision is required of Council. With the project no longer proceeding, no further communications or consultations are planned.