Through the OPP’s partnership with Enriched Academy, all OPP employees have access to powerful financial tools, online training, and personalized financial coaching, at no cost, through the Transformative Financial Wellness Program.

Next Webinar: Retirement Planning – Register Here
March 18, 11 a.m.
45 minute duration

Members must sign up for a session to receive access to the Enriched Academy Portal, which includes resources such as the free will kit, annual savings calculator and debt crusher. However, if you are unable to attend a session, no problem, you will receive a video recording after the event.

During this session, you’ll learn how to:
• Use the online retirement planning tools available to you
• Explore different retirement scenarios and timelines
• Understand how inflation, investments, and life changes can impact your plan
• Build a clear roadmap for retirement; whether you’re just starting out or getting close

Retirement planning doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. This session will provide practical next steps and actionable insight to help you move forward with confidence.

Additional Upcoming Financial Wellness Sessions:
• April 14: Creating Your Will
• May 20: Budgeting
• June 17: Stock Market Essentials

*Important: Registration is Required
Even if you are unable to attend the live session, you must register in advance to receive access to the recorded copy afterward. If you do not register, you will not receive the replay link.

We encourage all members to secure their spot and take advantage of this valuable benefit.

BRANCH 10S Meeting

Monday 11 Mar 26

7pm – 8:30pm

• Ø General Updates for Branch 10S Area
• Ø Benefit Enhancement Discussion
• Ø Shift Shortage – Forms
• Ø Member Engagement
• Ø Branch Resiliency Fund
• Ø Meetings/ Events

Notify your reps or send your R.S.V.P. directly to Branch VP Kurt Weckwerth at br10s.vp@oppa.ca right away to be provided the meeting link.

The Employer and the Association have reached agreement on a series of amendments to the Uniform Collective Agreement to ensure alignment with applicable provisions of the Community Safety and Policing Act (CSPA).

During the last round of negotiations, the parties established a joint committee with a mandate to review the Collective Agreements alongside the CSPA to identify areas requiring alignment or modernization. The committee completed its work at the end of 2025, and the parties have now finalized the resulting changes.

The key amendments include the following:

• Article 13.10 — Vacation and Vacation Credits: Revision of probationary language to align with the legislative exemption provision confirming that those who have successfully completed a probationary period at another police service are not required to serve another probationary period at the OPP.
• Article 27 — Personnel Files: Updates to document retention provisions to ensure consistency with retention requirements outlined in the CSPA.
• Article 28 — New Employees: Amendments to align with provisions permitting the extension of probationary periods where appropriate.
• Article 31 and CAD 17 — Informal Disciplinary Procedure: Revisions to reflect the CSPA framework, under which the distinction between informal and formal discipline is no longer maintained.

These amendments are intended to ensure legislative compliance while maintaining clarity and consistency within the Collective Agreements.

A consolidated version of the amended language can be found by clicking the PDF below.

Should you have any questions in the interim, please contact oppa@oppa.ca.

We’re pleased to introduce your new Healthcare Spending Account (HCSA), an added layer of coverage designed to give you and your family more flexibility with less out-of-pocket expenses. The HCSA is effective April 1, 2026, on the Active Member Plan.

Over the next four weeks, the OPPA will be sending a series of emails to walk you through the program step-by-step. Each message will break down the HCSA plan in simple terms, helping you understand how it works and how to make the most of it.

This first email provides an overview and covers the basics to help you get started. The next will include more information on claims submission for HCSA, followed by administration of the HCSA, and we will end with a summary putting it all together.

What is a Healthcare Spending Account?

Think of your HCSA as a top-up account for your health and dental benefits. Your HCSA works alongside your regular benefits plan through Canada Life. This means you must be enrolled in the health and dental plan to be eligible.

When the base plan (Canada Life 44501) doesn’t cover the full cost of a service or supply you can have some or all of it covered through your HCSA – as long as you have credits available and it is an eligible expense as per CRA.

Example:

The cost of a drug is $100. You wish to use the HCSA to pay for all out of pocket expenses.    

• The plan covers 90% of the eligible expense through the drug card, which is $90 ($100 x .90)
• At the pharmacy you are charged for the remaining $10 (no change to claiming method)
• You submit the $10 expense to be paid through the HCSA using the My Canada Life at Work app or using a paper claim.
• Canada Life will reimburse you $10
• Your HCSA balance is reduced by $10

How Does It Work?

Each year, you are allocated a dollar amount that you can use to pay for eligible health, dental or vision expenses incurred in that calendar year. You decide how and when you want to spend it!

To bring this new benefit to you as soon as possible, we agreed to a shortened first year with the first allocation given to you on April 1st.  Subsequent allocations will be provided annually on January 1st with escalating entitlements negotiated for the next two years. The allocations are as follows:

• April 1, 2026: $650
• January 1, 2027: $800
• January 1, 2028: $1,000

What Can it Cover?

Your HCSA can help pay for expenses your base plan does not cover in full or doesn’t cover at all such as:

• Practitioner claims (massage, physiotherapy, etc.) over the maximum
• Prescription drug co-pay
• Glasses/contacts over the maximum
• Physiotherapy
• Chiropractic treatment
• Medical supplies & services
• Dental costs that exceed your yearly maximum
• …and more!

Eligible expenses must qualify under Canada Revenue Agency medical expense rules. Click here for more information.

Who Can Use It?

The definition of dependent is broader under the HCSA coverage:

• You
• Your spouse
• Additional dependents who are financially dependent on you, that you claim as dependents on your income tax

Next week, we’ll walk you through Claim Submission – including how Balance Carry Forward works and important claim deadlines to keep in mind.

Branch 18 Members,

As many of you are aware, the Ontario Public Service (OPS) Return to Office mandate has prompted significant discussion and a high volume of Alternative Work Arrangement (AWA) requests across the OPS.

The Employer is currently processing thousands of AWA submissions province wide. Given the complexity of this process, timelines and responses may vary.

Please be assured that the OPP Association is actively engaged on this issue. We have been coordinating with other OPS bargaining agents to ensure a unified and strategic approach, and we continue to advocate for our members to the fullest possible extent. Your concerns are being raised, and your interests are being represented.

At this time, our Branch is experiencing a high volume of inquiries. To help us manage capacity and provide accurate information, we respectfully ask members to stay tuned for further updates via email. We are committed to sharing information as it becomes available and as discussions progress.

We understand this transition may create uncertainty, and we appreciate your patience as this process unfolds. Branch 18 remains focused on protecting member rights and ensuring fair and consistent application of workplace policies.

Further updates will be shared as soon as we receive them.

Trevor McKean, Director, Branch 18 Liaison

It is with deepest regret that we announce the passing of JANE LACK, spouse of Edward (Edd) Harris, Specialty Services Motorcycle Mechanic, Fleet, Supply & Weapons Services Bureau. Jane passed away on January 22, 2026. Jane is survived by her spouse Edd and children Aston and Christopher.

Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Family has requested in lieu of flowers, memorial donations to:
Collingwood General & Marine Hospital Foundation
459 Hume Street
Collingwood ON L9Y 3W9
Or online by clicking here

Letters or cards of condolence may be forwarded to:
Edd Harris and Family
7223 Highway 26
Stayner ON L0M 1S0

It is with deepest regret that we announce the passing of RALPH HAMPTON, Badge #3358, who passed away on February 21, 2026. Ralph served at Wawa, Missanabie, Sault Ste. Marie, Osaka (Japan), Forest, Oakville, Burlington, Geraldton and Peterborough, Detachments and Peterborough DHQ Traffic Unit before retiring as Senior Constable from the Kawartha Detachment on December 31, 1995.

Ralph is survived by his wife Diane, children Penny, Kimberly and Gregory, Allison, Elizabeth, and Jillian and predeceased by his stepson Clifford.

Celebration of Life:
Saturday, March 21, 2026, at 1300 hrs
819 Centennial Road
Brockville ON K6V 5T4

Family has requested in lieu of flowers memorial donations to:
Charity of choice

Letters or cards of condolence may be forwarded to:
Mrs. Diane Hampton and Family
819 Centennial Road
Brockville ON K6V 5T4

It is with deepest regret that we announce the passing of JOSEPH (JOE) VERTOLLI, Badge #1911, who passed away on February 10, 2026. Joe served at GHQ, Hawkesbury and Barrie Detachments, Intelligence Bureau, Auto Theft Branch and Security Branch before retiring as Detective Staff Sergeant from the Crime Investigation Branch January 31, 1991.

Joe is survived by his wife Maria and daughter Marcia.

There will be no service.

Family has requested in lieu of flowers memorial donations to:
CompanionLink
www.companionlink.org

Letters or cards of condolence may be forwarded to:
Mrs. Maria Vertolli and Family
27 Gloucester Grove
York ON M6C 1Z8

It is with deepest regret that we announce the passing of ROBERT (BOB) PARRY, Badge #5540, who passed away on February 20, 2026. Bob served Sault Ste. Marie, White River and Orillia Detachments before retiring as a Sergeant from OPP Weapons Vault (Business and Financial Services Bureau) on July 31, 2007.

Bob is survived by his wife Margaret and children Alison, Colleen, Samantha and Joshua. His nephew, OPP Sergeant Joseph Chiaramida (Orillia) and Joseph’s wife, OPP Sergeant Lauren Chiaramida (Bracebridge).

Visitation:
Friday, February 27, 2026, from 1700 hrs to 2000 hrs
Mundell Funeral Home
79 West Street North
Orillia ON L3V 5C1

Family has requested in lieu of flowers memorial donations to:
Badge of Life Canada
badgeoflifecanada.org

Letters or cards of condolence may be forwarded to:
Mrs. Margaret Parry and Family
340 Park Street
Orillia ON L3V 7S7

In 2016 the Employer and OPP Association agreed to the Net-Average Earnings (NAE) terms for members in receipt of a WSIB award. However, the terms were not implemented by the OPP until January 2022. The intent of NAE is to provide members absent from work with a WSIB award equal to the same net pay as if they were at work. The NAE terms are consistent with other police services and associations in Ontario.

Prior to the implementation of the NAE terms for members in receipt of a WSIB award, the OPP was maintaining their regular gross salary and remitting income tax and other statutory deductions on all earnings as if they were actively at work. A portion of this gross salary was for a WSIB award that is non-taxable. For example, if a member’s regular pay was $2,500 bi-weekly and the WSIB award was $2,100 of this amount, in practice, the OPP was calculating income tax and other deductions on non-taxable income, resulting in a significant tax return each year. As such, members in receipt of a WSIB award would be receiving a greater benefit from those members actively at work, as members on WSIB would receive full pay and a significant income tax rebate.

Since the implementation of the NAE terms, Payroll Transactions are only remitting income tax, and other statutory deductions for the taxable top up amount that is above the WSIB recognized award. This is in accordance with the rules from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Based on the example above, statutory deductions are only made on the $400 difference and not the full $2,500 amount. When a member is filing their annual income tax return, their income tax rebate would be much lower, if at all, as the member is will no longer pay income tax on non-taxable income.

The T4 total income (Box 14) is lower than the salary of the members position as members are in receipt of benefits and not regular salary.  Box 14 on the T4, includes the WSIB award plus the gross top-up amounts, paid by the employer, to maintain the member’s regular net pay. The amount of Box 77 on the T4 is shown as a deduction later in the return.

Please note that each members circumstances are different, for any questions relating to NAE please contact OPP.NAE@opp.ca. Additionally, you can contact the OPP Association at oppa@oppa.ca.