Ontario eliminating basic constable training tuition fees at police college

Published April 25, 2023 at 11:28 am

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the province is eliminating tuition fees for the basic constable training program at the Ontario Police College and expanding enrolment in a bid to get more police officers into communities.

The government has not revealed the cost of making tuition free for the recruits.

The province says 70 recruits per cohort will be added to the basic constable training program, up to 550, and starting next year there will be four cohorts per year instead of three.

Ontario is also planning to eliminate the requirement for post-secondary education to become a police officer.

Ford says he wants to see more “boots on the ground” to help push back against what he calls a rise in crime.

The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police says the moves will help police services recruit the next generation of police officers.