Article

Police Village

Published Online February 7, 2006

Last Edited December 15, 2013

The police village, a category of local governing body in Ontario, predates Confederation. The original purpose was to establish a local body in a hamlet ("village") to maintain public order (hence "police") and deliver a limited number of services to rural township dwellers.

Police Village

The police village, a category of local governing body in Ontario, predates Confederation. The original purpose was to establish a local body in a hamlet ("village") to maintain public order (hence "police") and deliver a limited number of services to rural township dwellers. The police village was created by a bylaw of the county council. The amended Municipal Act of 1965 prevented the creation of new police villages. Those that continued taxed residents and provided for services such as street lights, fire protection and garbage collection. In the last three decades many disappeared as a result of municipal restructuring and roughly 50 remain. The provincial government is reviewing the status of police villages and other subsidiary elected bodies with a view to modernization and greater flexibility.