Review of Oshawa by-law department says more staff needed
Published September 15, 2021 at 12:25 pm
An operational review of Oshawa’s by-law department is recommending the hiring of a senior training officer, two part-time officers and two new vehicles to meet increased demand.
Complaints to Municipal Law Enforcement Services (MLSE) have increased from 14,630 per year to 17,614 between 2016 and 2019, due to challenges caused by population growth, a 16 per cent increase in housing developments and the growing opioid and homelessness crisis.
The review – the first internal look at the operations of the service since 2016 – said the challenges facing MLSE now include COVID-19 pandemic protocols and present opportunities for “outside-the-box thinking.”
By-law officers are responsible for a variety of tasks, from animal control and coyote spotting to issuing parking tickets, performing apartment building audits and security, as needed.
The senior training officer is expected to cost $110,000 (including benefits) and the two part-time officers $63,000 annually and the two new vehicles are budgeted for $130,000, plus $20,000 per year for maintenance.
The motion will go to full council on September 27.
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