Anders Sandberg / CC
Sioux Lookout’s Senior Leadership Team is making a further investment in the community’s safety.
During March 6’s Council meeting at City Hall, Manager of Corporate Services Brian MacKinnon presented his recommendation to Council to execute an agreement between the municipality and Algoma Technology Services surrounding a Closed-Circuit Television Camera Project.
Sioux Lookout originally received $48,000 towards their CCTV project last year from the province – and the city was already preparing to match that amount in 2023.
Ontario and Northern Development Minister Greg Rickford announced $118,000 in funding for CCTV projects in northwestern Ontario last September – intended to expand current video surveillance technology in areas where crime is most prevalent.
As it stands, Sioux Lookout says the only existing surveillance downtown is comprised of privately maintained cameras installed by local businesses.
Now, MacKinnon’s report explains the project’s scope has grown to include the Recreation Centre as its camera systems are at the end of life and to integrate CCTV systems in a variety of municipal buildings and facilities that don’t currently have them, as well as the downtown core.
As a result, the $105,000 estimate for the original work has grown to roughly $143,000 – but Council had already allocated $50,000 for those additional CCTV systems – so the project already fits within the budget.
MacKinnon’s report adds that cameras would be ‘placed strategically in the downtown core that, statistically, have proven to be the most problem areas for mischief, harm to oneself and one to others’ and would operate 24/7.
Other locations would include the Centennial Centre, Heritage Railway Station, Municipal Office, Fire Hall, Public Works, Town Beach and the Doc Moberly Pumping Station.
The City of Kenora has had CCTV cameras since 2018.
