TORONTO — Toronto police say the cost of policing protests related to the Israel-Hamas war and proactively engaging with the city's Jewish and Muslim communities was nearly $20 million last year.
A report from police Chief Myron Demkiw to the Toronto Police Service Board says the so-called Project Resolute cost the force $19.5 million by the end of 2024.
The report says Toronto police responded to more than 2,000 "unplanned events" last year and more than half of them were associated with the project that increased police presence in targeted communities after the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
It says the $19.5 million spent includes $8 million in "premium pay," which includes additional compensation for officers who were called back outside their shift hours to respond to protests.
The report says the redeployment of police resources to priority calls and to support the neighbourhood community officer program has reduced the force's capacity to respond to unexpected protests with on-duty officers.
Toronto police have reported a significant increase in hate crimes and related charges since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, and have warned against the rise of antisemitism and Islamophobia.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 4, 2025.
The Canadian Press
