The City of Peterborough currently provides Dispatch services to the City of Peterborough, the County of Peterborough and the County of Northumberland.
Our current call volume can be broken down as approximately 40% for the City, 30% for Peterborough County and 30% for Northumberland County. In anticipation of the expiration of the current five-year fire services communications agreement with the City of Peterborough in March, discussions regarding its extension have been underway since the fall. During those discussions, Chief Balfour learned that the City was requesting a 13.6% increase per year in the extension, representing an increase of $11,582. The increased funding is required to cover increases in wages, IT and Next Generation 911 costs as well as reflecting a rise in call volumes received by their Communication Center.
An increase in households directly affects the increased cost and this agreement is based on the percentage of households per Township, using data from the County and the 2021 Census. The amount of growth the Township experiences during the contract term would determine the amount of increase upon renewal in 2029 based on current and future development within Cavan Monaghan. The new agreement contains a clause that should actual call volumes exceed 4.1% of their anticipated level, the township will be charged a fee of $175 per call. The growth in call volumes has averaged 3%, so Chief Balfour expects this extra fee will not materialize. KG
