Cobourg Council passed an updated agreement (MOU) on June 25th that outlines changes to how the Police budget will be funded. However, the document remains surprisingly vague, leaving many key details up in the air.

Even after a thorough summary from CAO Tracey Vaughan, several important specifics are still missing:

• • • No Clear Timeline or Details: When will these funding changes actually take effect and how will they be phased in? The MOU doesn’t say.
    • Police “Business Plan” Kept Private: The Police have provided the town with a ten-year business plan, but this document hasn’t been made public.
    • Mystery Use for Millions in Profit: The Police’s Business Unit generates over $2 million in annual profit, yet there’s no information what this money will be used for.

The primary driver behind this change in the Police’s funding relationship appears to be a concern that the profit from the Business Services Unit (BSU) isn’t guaranteed and could potentially decrease. While no specific reasons for this concern were given (such as increased competition), the emphasis was placed on the Provincial Legislation requiring the Town to fully fund the Police.

The new plan aims to gradually shift the Police budget away from relying on BSU profits. and to slowly stop using the BSU’s money for the Police’s regular operating budget. Instead, it’s intended for discretionary spending, capital projects, or potentially held in reserves for future needs, like a new police building.

Councillor Adam Bureau, who also heads the Police board, said that the Police budget for 2026 is expected to increase by 3% because of this change. This 3% will be in addition to any other necessary increases, and it will affect the taxes residents pay.

In a recorded vote, the new funding agreement was approved, with only Councillor Mutton voting against it.

This MOU is called an “update” to a 2018 agreement.
For more infomration , including copies of the original and updated MOU, you can view it here:

Police Services Board MOU