Canada’s Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) will acquire two new Airbus H135 helicopters as part of a Joint Air Support Unit that will support Ottawa and Toronto police services, the provincial government has announced.
Three additional helicopters are being procured and will be owned and operated by municipal police services in the Toronto-area regions of Durham, Halton and Peel to support current patrols and improve response times, the government said. There is no word on what types are being acquired.
“Air support is an extremely effective law enforcement and public safety tool that significantly enhances the capacity of the police to detect crime, disrupt criminal activity, safely apprehend offenders and assist vulnerable missing persons,” said Thomas Carrique, commissioner of the OPP, in a statement.
“The establishment of the Joint Air Support Unit and the expansion of OPP Aviation Services will contribute greatly to the safety of our communities and the security of our province.”
The five new helicopters are part of a C$134 million investment from the Ontario government to fight against a wave of car thefts that has swept the Canadian province. Police are also targeting street racing and impaired driving in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and in Ottawa, the nation’s capital.
“Criminal networks have become more sophisticated, but so have we,” said Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner.
“In Ontario, a car is stolen every 14 minutes—this is completely unacceptable. These helicopters will be a critical tool in helping police stay one step ahead of the criminals who are stealing cars and committing crimes on our streets.”
Ontario announced this project in its 2024 budget, building on two previous programs aimed at curbing auto theft.
“This is a monumental investment that will provide much needed support to our officers and help them in the work they do every day to enhance community safety,” saidNishan Duraiappah
chief of police, Peel Regional Police Service
“The addition of these helicopters is a great example of what can be accomplished when police services and the provincial government work together to help improve police response and the safety of the citizens of Ontario.”
In May, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources was reportedly gathering information to potentially buy a fleet of medium-category helicopters to fight wildfires. A tender for that project was issued May 7, according to a posting on the Merx procurement website.
