Policing and immigration top issues at KDMA

Communities within the Kenora District Municipal Association are still working to lower policing costs.

That was one of the main topics of concern during the KDMA convention in Ignace this past weekend.

President of the municipal association and mayor of Ear Falls, Kevin Kahoot says many communities have similar issues with high policing costs.

“You know, some of the smaller towns aren’t as bad,” says Kahoot.

“We’re not as bad in Ear Falls, but Red Lake, Sioux Lookout and Kenora have some of the highest (policing costs) in the province, and that’s due to Calls for Service. There have been some rebates, but you know, look at Kenora. I think they’re on the hook for about a 10 percent increase and that’s probably a $1 million increase on that 10 percent. That’s a lot of money to actually take out of a budget, where you don’t have a whole lot of control of anyway.”

Kahoot adds they’ve also been speaking to the federal government about immigration programs specific to northwestern Ontario.

“Red Lake, Dryden, Sioux Lookout and Ear Falls, and even some of the other towns. We have more jobs than we have people to fill them. And if we don’t get some kind of program that allows some type of immigration, and immigration-type workers to take these jobs, we’re going to have a hard time growing.”

The most recent report from the Northwest Training and Adjustment Board found that there are over 2,400 job vacancies in the Kenora and Rainy River Districts.

Next year the KDMA conference is scheduled for Ear Falls.