Rae Announces over $700,000 to Support Police and Mental Health Services
December 11, 2025
[Perth-Wellington] – Today, Matthew Rae, MPP for Perth-Wellington, announced an investment of over $700,000 to support local police services with their unique, community focused programs that help better protect our communities.
“It is great to see our provincial government supporting local police services to protect our rural communities,” said MPP Rae. “This funding will help local police services and healthcare workers offer specialized mental health supports to community members experiencing a mental health or addiction crisis. Our government will continue to support our first responders.”
Over the next two years the Perth County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) will be receiving $267,356 to support their Perth County Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT) Enhancement Program. The Stratford Police Service will be receiving $240,000 to assist their MCRT.
The Ministry of the Solicitor General, through the Community Safety and Policing Grant Program (CSPG) will be providing $60,893.02 in funding to the Perth County OPP through a joint application by the North Perth and West Perth municipalities. The Stratford Police Services are receiving $177,994.99 through the CSPG to support Purpose Driven Responses.
Wellington County will also receive $187,329.40 to aid the Wellington Fraud Prevention and Response Strategy. This grant will help to ensure that our communities are staying safe through frontline crisis and supports.
“Our government is taking decisive action to protect Ontario by ensuring police have the tools, resources, and partnerships they need to keep our communities safe,” said Solicitor General Michael Kerzner. “Through this grant, we are equipping police services with the means to strengthen Mobile Crisis Response Teams—made up of police and crisis workers—who are uniquely positioned to respond to people experiencing a mental health or addictions crisis, de-escalating situations that could threaten public safety while connecting vulnerable individuals with the support they need.”
The MCRT Enhancement Grant offers funding to police services to increase crisis workers on their teams. This grant supports the on-going need for additional mental health assistance on calls involving individuals experiencing a mental health and/or addiction crisis, as well as to better leverage local mental health expertise.
“This initiative reflects the strong collaboration between the Perth County OPP Detachment, and our community partners,” said Inspector Tyler Stewart, Detachment Commander for the Perth County OPP. “The Mobile Crisis Response Team Funding ensures that together we’re building safer, stronger communities.”
The CSPG is part of the government’s $91 million investment to support policing initiatives that focus on local or provincial priorities and provides eligible police services/boards and municipalities policed by the OPP with funding to deploy front-line officers where and when they are needed most.
For 2025-26 and 2026-27, 36 police services and OPP detachments will receive approximately $9 million through the MCRT Enhancement Grant to increase the capacity of mobile crisis response teams across the province.
Funding information as provided by the Ministry of the Solicitor General:
| Police Service | Funding Amount | Project Name | Funding Program |
| Perth County OPP | $267,356.00 | Perth County MCRT Enhancement Program | Mobile Crisis Response Team Enhancement Grant |
| Stratford Police Services | $240,000.00 | Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT) | Mobile Crisis Response Team Enhancement Grant |
| County of Wellington | $187,329.40 | Wellington Fraud Prevention and Response Strategy: Educate, Investigate, Support | Community Safety and Policing Grant |
| Municipality of West Perth and North Perth – Perth County OPP | $60,893.02 | Mobile Crisis Response Team Enhancement | Community Safety and Policing Grant |
| Stratford Police Services | $177,994.99 | Purpose Driven Response | Community Safety and Policing Grant |