Community Safety and Well-Being Plan – Four Year Review

The Community Safety and Well-Being Plan is a collective impact plan that addresses the local risks to safety and well-being at the community level and proposes both priorities as well as action items to be undertaken by various governments, institutions, groups, and agencies who are working together in order to mitigate those risks. The Plan considers long-term, multi-disciplinary efforts and investments to improve the social determinants of health, such as the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age such as education, early childhood development, food security, quality housing, and so on, and thereby reduce the probability of crime, social disorder, and ill-health. Appendix 1 provides definitions of these and other terms used through the Plan.

Between 2013-2016 the provincial government led consultations across the province to hear from residents about the way that Ontarians look at service delivery in all sectors. Following the consultations, the province identified that the common goal for Ontarians is to get the services they need, when they need them, in an effective and efficient way. Further, they noted that Police are often called upon to respond to complex situations that are non-criminal in nature as they operate on a 24/7 basis. Many of these situations, such as an individual experiencing a mental health crisis, would be more appropriately managed through a collaborative service delivery model that leverages the strengths of partners in the community. In addition, the province affirmed that all sectors have a role in developing and implementing local community safety and well-being plans. By working collaboratively at the local level to address priority risks and needs of the community through strategic and holistic planning, we will be better prepared to meet current and future expectations of Ontarians.[i]

Community Safety and Well-Being plans are provincially legislated for municipalities in Ontario. The legislation provides direction on the development of the Plan but stresses the importance of municipalities focusing on the issues that are most relevant to them. The Province outlines that risk factors across the social determinants of health should be considered. As such, factors such as poverty, unemployment and underemployment, inadequate housing, mental well-being (including mental health, social isolation, and substance use), gender-based violence, systemic discrimination, racism, and marginalization are barriers that increase the likelihood that communities will experience unsafe and unhealthy situations.

[i] Community Safety and Well-Being Planning Framework: Booklet 3 - A Shared Commitment in Ontario, Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.

The Provincial Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) Planning Framework provides guidance to municipalities to develop coordinated, proactive strategies to address local risks. Rooted in evidence-based decision-making and cross-sector collaboration, the framework supports municipalities in creating safer, healthier, and more resilient communities through integrated, long-term planning.

• Focus on upstream solutions that reduce long-term reliance on reactive services/incident response
• Understand interventions across four levels: social development, prevention, risk intervention, and emergency response
• Promote collaboration between sectors like health, policing, housing, and social services
• Monitor progress and adapt plans based on outcomes and evolving community needs