Belleville Police benefits increased 91% in 5 years, new agreement catches base salaries up with inflation

Over that period inflation was 22% in Ontario and Belleville’s estimated population increased by 14%.

Belleville Police Services Board negotiates a legally binding collective agreement with the Belleville Police Association every few years to set increases to the salaries and benefits for civilian, uniform and senior members of the Belleville Police Service (BPS).

The latest BPS Board Collective Bargaining took place on June 16 and June 19, 2025 and the agreements were signed by all parties on September 25, 2025. These agreements will become effective January 1^st, 2026 and shall remain in force until December 31^st, 2029 and thereafter until replaced by another agreement.

Benefits have greatly increased

In 2026, benefits paid are to increase:

9% ($73,945) for Administration Division
23% ($146,239) for Support Division
20% ($407,454) for Operations Division
17% ($41,767) for Executive Services

Across all divisions:

Benefits to increase by $669,405 (17.8%)
Pensions to increase by $354,022 (13.2%)

In the 5 year period from 2021 to 2026, benefits paid (increases for existing + new hires) are to increase by:

93% ($438,761) for Administration Division
95% ($384,620) for Support Division
87% ($1,130,049) for Operations Division
116% ($157,335) for Executive Services

2018-19 to 2020-22

The 2020-2022 agreement greatly expanded the extended health care plan benefit for mental health services:

Quadrupled extended health care plan benefit from $750 to $3000 per year and expanded to include psychotherapists and social workers alongside psychologists and physiotherapists. 9.01 (c)
60% of the long-term disability (LTD) plan premiums now paid by the Board, instead of being member-paid. 9.01 (e)
Removal of the 6-month limit Board’s obligation to “top up” a member’s WSIB payments to their regular salary. 17.06
Added provision employees on WSIB or LTD won’t accumulate vacation credits once their leave exceeds 6 months. 8.08

2020-22 and 2023-25

The 2023-2025 agreement introduces a Health Care Spending Account, increases dental coverage and increased salary premiums.

Added a $3,000 per year Health Care Spending Account for 10 years for retirees over age 65 for medical and dental expenses which are deemed deductible by Revenue Canada. 9.02 (d)
Increased orthodontics lifetime maximum from $3,500 to $5,000. 9.01 (d)
Increased coverage for crowns and bridges from members only to members, spouse and dependent children and repairs limit increased from $1,500 to $2,500 per year. 9.01 (f)
Increased clothing reimbursement for Drugs/Intelligence Bureau from $750 to $1,000 per year. 10.01 (a)(i)
Officers are now reimbursed for legal costs in a criminal defense from if they are found not guilty, or if criminal charges are dismissed or withdrawn, or a stay of proceedings is entered. Previously, costs were only covered if they were found not guilty. 18.01 (b)
Uniform members now receive credit for all consecutive police and military police service for determining eligibility for their 3%, 6%, and 9% experience pay. 5.02 (c)
Members in Forensic Identification, Criminal Investigation, K9, and Emergency Response Units now receive a 4% premium above their regular wage. In 2018-2019, only Forensic Identification Unit received a 2% premium. 5.02 (g)
Officers coaching a recruit receive a 2% premium above regular wage while training a recruit. In 2018-2019, Coach Officers received a flat fee of $150 per recruit coached. 5.02 (f)
Qualified breathalyzer technicians, negotiators and reconstructionist receive $400 per year for maintaining their skill sets – up from $300.00 annually in 2018-2019. 5.02 (e)

2023-25 and 2026-29

The 2026-2029 agreement introduces significant increases to benefit caps and restructures how paramedical services are covered.

Increased maximum extended health care plan benefit for mental health services (psychological, psychotherapist and social workers) from $3,000 to $5,000 per year and added $1,000 Physiotherapy, $1,000 for Chiropractic and $1,000 for Massage Therapy for a total maximum of $8,000 per year. 9.01 (c)
Increased vision care entitlement from $500 to $750 every 24 months. 9.01 (g)
Added National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a statutory holiday, meaning all members receive a total of 14 days (112 hours) in Statutory Holiday time to be taken off during each calendar year, up from 13 days (104 hours) 7.01
Increased paid compassionate leave for death of a sibling from 3 days to 5 days. 11.01 Added that members may request one additional day of paid leave to attend a delayed interment ceremony within nine months of the initial leave. If a death occurs while a member is already on annual or statutory leave, those hours are now returned to the member’s bank, and they are booked off on compassionate leave instead.
Increased Supplemental Employment Benefit (top-up to 90% of earnings) for pregnancy leave from 15 weeks to 16 weeks. 11.02
Added medical/dental appointments (with notice), school closures, and elder care as explicitly permitted uses of Family Time off-duty hours for “sudden, immediate, unexpected” demands. 11.06
Added “On Call” status for Staff Sergeants pays them Acting Inspector wages for 4 hours on Saturday and 4 hours on Sunday while on call, and for any call-outs or decisions made between 11 pm and 5 am. 6.03
Added 3% salary premium for Sworn Members assigned to Uniform Patrol (Platoons, Community Response Unit, Traffic Unit) who have completed their fifth year of service and possess use of force training. 5.02 (h)

Police officers’ base salaries keep up with inflation

Between 2019 and 2025, officers’ salaries were under inflation. Under the 2023-2025 agreement, a 1st Class (Base) constable with the BPS earned a base salary of $115,834 in 2025, a 17.3% increase over 2019 ($98,782) while inflation in Ontario was approximately 23% over the same period.

The 2026-2029 agreement will see salaries increase faster than the estimated 2% inflation per year, resulting in police salaries catching back up in 2027 and surpassing it in 2028 and 2029.

Salary increases

2018 – 2%
2019 – 2%
2020 – 2.1%
2021 – 2.1%
2022 – 2.2%
2023 – 4%
2024 – 3%
2025 – 2.75%
2026 – 3.5%
2027 – 3.5%
2028 – 2.5%
2029 – 2.5%

In 2026, increases to salary, benefits and pensions paid account for 82% of the 15% Board-approved increase in the 2026 Police Operating Budget. This includes raises for existing members as well as hiring of 2 additional officers for a total of 105 and 5 additional support staff (total of 62 in 2023).

$1,378,745 (12.97%) increase in salaries paid for Operations Division
$719,339 (21%) increase in salaries paid for Support Division
$347,819 (9.2%) increase in salaries paid for Administration Division
$239,529 (18.78%) increase in salaries paid for Executive Services

Across all divisions, total salaries paid to increase by $2,685,432 (14%).

Belleville Police benefits increased 91% in 5 years, new agreement catches base salaries up with inflation