Ontario Protecting Communities by Enhancing Policing in Kenora
September 19, 2025
More than $280,000 for Kenora OPP will help fight crime and keep people safe
Kenora — Kenora OPP is receiving $281,044 as part of the Ontario government’s more than $91 million investment to help protect families and communities across the province. The funding is being delivered through the Community Safety and Policing Grant Program and will be used to reduce pressure on local hospitals and increase community well-being through the Adult and Youth Mobile Crisis Resource Teams.
“In 2024/25, 74% of police mental health calls were diverted from local emergency rooms due to the tireless work of Kenora OPP’s Mobile Crisis Resources Teams,” said Greg Rickford, MPP for Kenora- Rainy River. “This statistic is a reflection of the success of the Community Safety and Policing Grant Program, and I could not be more grateful to the Kenora OPP and their partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association for the incredible work they do.”
The Kenora OPP’s Adult and Youth Mobile Crisis Resource Team project is one of 127 projects being funded across the province for 2025-26. Of the 127 projects, 88 projects will address local priorities, and 39 projects will address provincial priorities, including gun and gang related violence, sexual violence and harassment, human trafficking, mental health and addictions, hate-motivated crime, housing and homelessness, and commercial/retail theft.
“Our government is delivering on our promise to protect Ontario and keep communities safe,” said Solicitor General Michael Kerzner. “Through this funding, we are helping to build safer communities by ensuring Ontario’s police services have the resources they need to address local issues and improve the well-being of the people they serve.”
The Community Safety and Policing Grant Program supports policing initiatives that focus on local or provincial priorities and provides eligible police services/boards and municipalities policed by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) with funding to deploy front-line officers where and when they are needed most.
“Through partnership, the Canadian Mental Health Association and the Ontario Provincial Police formed the Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT). This team specializes in responding to calls where the client is experiencing a mental health crisis. Through additional training these members are able to effectively assist the clients and provide specific resources to their needs. Furthermore, MCRT is able to significantly reduce the amount of time these clients are taken to the emergency room by diverting the clients to other resources. This has shown to be of great benefit to the local hospital”- Kenora OPP Detachment Inspector Jim NEILD