Redirect police funding to housing, mental health and other community support measures.

I work and volunteer in affordable housing in Ottawa. A safer community for me would be one where everyone is housed, where people experiencing homelessness, those with mental health and addictions challenges, and other vulnerable groups get the help they need without being criminalized. My work in the housing sector has given me many examples of how the daily experiences of black people, indigenous people, and people of colour living in Ottawa are very different from mine (a young white woman). A safer Ottawa for me would also be one where BIPOC can go about their daily activities with the same confidence.

Toronto made the wrong choice this week, settling for tinkering around the edges of the status quo rather than taking clear action to defund the police. We know that body cameras, banning chokeholds, and increasing police training do not lead to better outcomes for people with mental health and addictions issues or BIPOC. Ottawa must do better. Defund the police, and increase investments in the services of other community professionals: psychologists, educators, social workers, community health workers, youth workers, etc.

Policing is not preventative. Community health and safety can be increased by investing in community centres, libraries, community health services, education and training opportunities, psychological services and counselling, homeless shelters, transitional and supportive housing, social enterprises, drug and addictions counselling and employment support...these (and others!) are preventative strategies that can also help address the growing inequalities in our City.

We have an opportunity through the community safety plan to re-think how Ottawa considers public safety, and an opportunity to begin to dismantle the systemic discrimination inherent in the police. Let's do it, Ottawa. We'll be safer and healthier for it.