Province invests over $182 M for 9 new OPP detachments

Residents in Fort Frances, Manitoulin Island and Marathon could soon see a new and improved Ontario Provincial Police detachment as the provincial governmentannounced an investment ofover $182 million to replace nine aging facilities in Ontario.

"This project allows for the continued renewal of our aging detachments under one major infrastructure project," Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Vince Hawkes stated in a written release on Friday.

The nine new detachments will be located in Moosonee, Fort Frances, Hawkesbury, Huron County, West Parry Sound, Manitoulin Island, Port Credit (Mississauga), Marathon and Orillia.

"State of the art facilities that respond to the increasing demands of modern police operations isan important part of keeping communities safe," Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, Michael Tibollo said.

The new detachments will remedy inefficiencies due to obsolete design and technology, as well as a lack of space.

Construction is expected to begin this fall with much of it being completed by late 2020.