TORONTO — The Ontario government has delivered the first helicopter under its Joint Air Support Unit to Peel Regional Police, marking the start of a $191 million provincewide aerial policing expansion.The new H-125 aircraft will help officers track stolen vehicles, respond to critical incidents, monitor dangerous driving and support investigations into organized crime. Equipped with advanced aviation and surveillance technology, it is intended to improve response times, locate suspects from the air and assist major public safety operations. The helicopter will also support neighbouring police services and the Ontario Provincial Police..Solicitor General Michael Kerzner said the aircraft gives police modern tools against increasingly sophisticated criminals.“Criminals are becoming more sophisticated, and our government is making sure police have the tools to stay ahead of them,” Kerzner said. “This new helicopter will help officers respond faster, coordinate more effectively and strengthen the fight against organized crime, auto theft and dangerous criminal activity.”The comment comes weeks after a major cross-border investigation known as Project Bay resulted in the seizure of 17 firearms that included a rare Finnish Second World War-era anti-tank rifle. Police described the military-grade weapon as having no legitimate civilian application and expressed concern that it was in the hands of organized drug traffickers.Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said the helicopter will expand the service’s air support capabilities.“This helicopter will greatly assist our officers in locating missing people faster, safely tracking suspects from the sky, and responding more effectively to critical incidents,” Duraiappah said..Massive $139M drug bust exposes South Asian cross-border trucking network.OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique noted the value of aviation for time-sensitive calls.“Aviation is an effective tool used during time-sensitive incidents, such as locating vulnerable missing persons, tracking suspects and supporting frontline operations,” Carrique said.The province is spending $134 million through the Joint Air Support Unit for five helicopters to serve the Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa. An additional $57 million, announced in Budget 2025, will fund two H-135 helicopters for Windsor Police Service and Niagara Regional Police Service.Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police president Chief Peter Moreira welcomed the deployment as a practical tool against auto theft and organized crime. Airbus Helicopters Canada president Dwayne Charette said the H-125 provides officers with an advanced overhead advantage for public safety work.The first aircraft enters service as police across Ontario continue to confront high rates of vehicle theft and organized criminal activity.
