Community Safety and Well-being Plan
A Community Safety and Well-being Plan helps municipalities improve community safety, health, and well-being. These plans unite local governments, police, healthcare, social services, and community members to proactively identify issues and find solutions.
In Ontario, municipalities are required to create Community Safety and Well-being Plans under the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, with the aim of building sustainable communities where residents feel safe and have access to needed services.
The County’s Community Safety and Well-being Plan focuses on five key areas:
- Seniors Support
- Housing and Homelessness
- Mental Health and Problematic Substance Use
- Domestic Violence, Sexual Violence and Intimate Partner Violence
- Poverty Reduction
Each area includes recommended strategies that were developed by community partners, using in-depth data and local information.
Each priority area has an Action Team made of representatives from community partners, including the Municipality and the OPP. Each Action Team has been working on implementing the strategic goals as outlined in the 2022-2025 Community Safety and Well-being Plan for a safe, accessible, equitable community.
Click the button below for a copy of the Community Safety and Well-being Plan, as well as a document detailing resources available in the community.
Levels of Response
A well-made Community Safety and Well-being Plan will proactively address some of the most important safety and well-being issues in a community. A good Plan is a result of a collaborative process which promotes four areas of planning response. The Plan should attempt to support issues at each of the four levels: Social development, Risk prevention, Risk intervention and Incident response.
Figure 2: The four “levels” of community risk response, preferring to intervene at less invasive and structural stages like social development, before moving towards risk intervention and emergency response in more extreme, uncommon cases.
Social Development
Measures taken to promote the overall social health of the community, by increasing quality of living, community, education, etc., and thus reduce the risk of victimization.
Risk Prevention
Measures taken to promote the overall social health of the community, by increasing quality of living, community, education, etc., and thus reduce the risk of victimization.
Risk Intervention
Measures that directly respond to situations in which there is an elevated risk of harm or victimization.
Incident Response
Immediate measures taken to respond to urgent incidents, e.g., mental health crisis response teams, law enforcement officers.
Foundational Commitments
Accessibility
We will ensure that this Plan supports everyone, regardless of physical or mental disabilities in accessing the full range of services, products and environments of Prince Edward County.
Anti-Oppression
We acknowledge that oppression is real. It is intersectional in its impact upon the community, and it is built into the structures of society. We seek to mitigate the effects of oppression wherever possible to make our community safer, more accessible and equitable for all people of The County.
Collaboration
We recognize the need for all groups to work together in a mutually supportive and collaborative way. Working together will help us tackle the systems of oppression and create new, more equitable ones.
Diversity
We value diversity as a community asset. It is important for all citizens of The County to work together to create a safe and strong community.
Equity
We strive for equitable outcomes rather than equal opportunity. We will give tailored attention and support to equity-seeking members of our community. We are seeking a more just and fair society for all.
Inclusion
We commit to seeking participation and representation of all citizens. We value inclusion regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, country of origin, religion, geography, economic status and/or physical or mental disabilities.
Spotlight on CSWB Activities
CSWB – All Action Teams
These initiatives are meant to support the objectives of all Action Teams through community capacity building and information sharing. They also help advance the broader goals of the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan by strengthening collaboration and creating opportunities for positive change across the community.
Knowledge Exchange and Education Series (Ongoing)
Multiple Action Teams have hosted Knowledge Exchange presentations for the partners in the CSWB Plan. This has allowed for better communication and understanding of programs and services among providers. This collaborative process is a key step toward implementing a “No Wrong Door” approach to service delivery, ensuring that residents can access the support they need by approaching any participating organization. Each organization will be equipped with the knowledge and resources to guide individuals to the appropriate services, creating a seamless and accessible support network for the community.
Community Education and Awareness Planning (Ongoing)
Each Action Team is engaged in communication planning about their area of focus, with the goal of raising awareness of the risk areas and sharing information on available services and resources. Communications plans and campaigns will begin to roll out in 2025.
Human Services Resource
The Community Safety and Well-being Plan Action Teams have collaboratively developed a Human Services Resource to support individuals and families in accessing essential services across Prince Edward County. This comprehensive guide includes information on housing supports, homelessness services, legal aid, financial assistance, food access, transportation options, youth-specific resources, mental health and substance use supports, and more. The resource is linked in the Plan Overview section of this webpage. Information on community resources is also available through 211.
Seniors Support Action Team
Pedestrian Safety Campaign (Launched in early 2025)
Prince Edward Community Care for Seniors Association, in partnership with the Seniors Support Action Team, and with funding from the Ministry of Transportation, led a campaign to improve pedestrian visibility and safety for older adults in Prince Edward County. The initiative distributed over 1,200 pieces of reflective gear and educational rack cards throughout the community, helping to reduce risk and raise awareness about pedestrian safety in rural and small-town settings. The Action Team is exploring further funding opportunities to expand on this initial campaign.
Strategy Spotlight: Seniors Support Action Team Strategy 3: Launch a pedestrian safety campaign
New Horizons Seniors' Advisory Group
Funded by the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program, eight local seniors came together to share their lived experiences and identify key challenges facing older adults in Prince Edward County. Following a series of community consultations, their insights were transformed into a set of community-informed recommendations that will help shape the next Community Safety and Well-being Plan.
One initiative that emerged from this work is the Take the Gym Home: Seniors Fitness Kit program. Four unique kits—each designed to support physical activity and well-being—are available to borrow for free from any Prince Edward County Public Library branch. It’s a great example of how senior-led ideas are creating meaningful, local impact.
Strategy Spotlight: This initiative highlights the Foundational Commitments of Collaboration and Inclusion by bringing people together to develop and implement the plan.
Community Focused Fraud Awareness Campaign
Building on County FM’s Outsmarting the Scammers video series, the Seniors Support Action Team is advancing a renewed fraud‑prevention campaign that uses storytelling to raise awareness about the scams most commonly targeting older adults. The initiative includes updating the data featured in the existing videos and producing a new segment focused on the psychological impact of fraud, followed by a series of in‑person presentations across the community.
By creating welcoming, judgment‑free spaces for older adults and their families to learn, share experiences, and ask questions, the Action Team aims to reduce fraud victimization and empower residents with practical, preventative knowledge that supports confidence and safety.
Strategy Spotlight: Seniors Support Action Team Strategy 2: Develop a long-term, strategic fraud education program.
Seniors’ Mobility Fair and Scooter Rodeo (September 2023)
With support from the Senior Support Action Team, Community Care for Seniors and the OPP hosted Scooter Rodeos in 2019 and 2023. These events were fun and educational opportunities where residents learned about various mobility devices and viewed a mobility scooter race between the OPP, EMS, and the Fire Department.
Strategy Spotlight: Seniors Support Action Team Strategy 3: Launch a pedestrian safety campaign.
Fraud Aware Business (FAB) Program (Launched 2024)
FAB is a program that engages local businesses as a line of defence against frauds-in-progress. The program helps businesses identify and report potential frauds. Businesses can sign up to attend a FAB Program training run by the Prince Edward OPP. Currently, there are 27 businesses in PEC who have taken the training, with the second round of training coming soon. For more information, visit Safety and Fraud Prevention – Prince Edward County Municipal Services.
Strategy Spotlight: Seniors Support Action Team Strategy 1: Build on existing fraud prevention programs.
Seniors Active Living Centre Funding (Ongoing)
One of the goals of the Seniors Support Action Team was to advocate for sustainable funding for the Seniors Active Living Centre programming delivered by Community Care for Seniors. Council has committed funding for this program through to the end of this term. This program supports active living and social inclusion for seniors in Prince Edward County.
In June 2025, Community Care for Seniors announced plans for a permanent County Seniors Centre in Picton. This new, fully accessible space will offer seniors opportunities for recreation, learning, and connection, helping to strengthen long-term support for seniors in the community.
Strategy Spotlight: Seniors Support Action Team Strategy 4: Advocate for continued municipal funding of active living programs for seniors.
Poverty Reduction Action Team
Poverty Reduction Strategy Development & Community Consultations
The Poverty Reduction Action Team has developed a Poverty Reduction Steering Committee to work toward a community-wide poverty reduction strategy for Prince Edward County. This strategic approach will aim to reduce poverty using an Asset Based Community Development approach.
Community engagement began in April 2025 to build support for a local poverty-reduction movement and ensure that lived experience is meaningfully reflected in the strategy. Four community engagement sessions were held across the County, facilitated by Tamarack Institute, to gather insights from residents, service providers, and people with lived experience. These conversations are shaping the direction of the strategy and sparking more immediate supports for residents living in poverty. This work has informed the development of poverty personas, research-based archetypes to illustrate the complex, multidimensional lived experiences of people facing poverty in Prince Edward County. Click here to view the personas.
The Action Team is committed to keeping lived experience at the center of its work. New survey tools, small group discussions, and one-on-one conversations are underway to ensure community voices continue to shape decisions.
Strategy Spotlight: Poverty Reduction Action Team Strategy 1: Establish a poverty reduction roundtable.
The Call Back Project
The Call Back Project is a community-led cell phone drive designed to increase digital access for individuals experiencing financial hardship in Prince Edward County. In fall 2025, gently used smartphones and accessories were donated by residents across the County. These phones have since been refurbished and community partners like Prince Edward Learning Centre and theROC are distributing them to clients who do not have access to mobile technology. Each phone is paired with a prepaid phone card to support communication and connection as the recipients get started with their new devices.
This project is a direct outcome of the April 2025 Community Conversations on Poverty Reduction, where the idea was originally proposed. The Call Back Project reflects the community’s desire for practical, inclusive solutions that meet people where they are.
Strategy Spotlight: Poverty Reduction Action Strategy 2: Advocate for sustainable funding for financial empowerment programs.
Revitalizing the Prince Edward County Food Collective
As a branch of the Poverty Reduction Action Team, the Prince Edward County Food Collective has been relaunched with support from The County Foundation’s Vital Impact Fund. This revitalized network brings together food access providers from across Prince Edward County to strengthen collaboration, align priorities, and improve coordination of services.
Following a series of strategic planning sessions, the Collective has established its guiding direction:
- Mission: To mobilize our community to end hunger in The County.
- Vision: A community where every person and family has nutritious, affordable food at home.
- Values: Collaboration. Education. Action.
With this foundation in place, the PEC Food Collective is now focusing on community education and awareness around food insecurity, helping residents better understand its root causes and local impacts. The Collective is also launching a series of free or Pay What You Can community dinners, creating spaces where people can gather, share a meal, and strengthen connections.
Throughout its relaunch, the Collective has continued to engage in program information sharing and peer networking to build relationships, identify overlapping
services, and surface unmet needs. These efforts inform the Collective’s emerging strategic priorities and support the development of a communications plan that will highlight the realities of food insecurity in Prince Edward County—and how the community can work together to address it.
Strategy Spotlight: Poverty Reduction Action Team Emerging Priority: Reduce Food Insecurity in Prince Edward County.
Prince Edward Learning Centre Financial Empowerment Program Funding (Ongoing)
The Poverty Reduction Action Team included a goal to ensure sustainable funding for the PELC Financial Empowerment program. Prince Edward County Council has committed $80,000 annually in funding for this program until 2026. This program provides counselling and services to low-income earners to build financial resiliency. A key component of this program is the free tax filing and benefits screening service provided to low-income earners. This program helps people access the tax refunds and benefits they are entitled to and has resulted in $10,000,000 in refunds and benefits to County residents in the last decade.
The Poverty Action Team is consulted when new barriers and challenges are identified by clients of PELC’s Financial Empowerment Program. For example, funding a pilot program that helps applicants access the new federal Disability Tax Credit by covering the cost of required medical documents.
Strategy Spotlight: Poverty Reduction Action Strategy 2: Advocate for sustainable funding for financial empowerment programs.
Bridges Out of Poverty — A Community Wide Approach to Poverty Reduction
In October 2025, more than 100 community members — including residents, service providers, municipal staff, health partners, and volunteers — participated in a full-day Bridges Out of Poverty training session. This large-scale event strengthened shared understanding of poverty in Prince Edward County and helped build a common foundation for collaborative action.
Building on this momentum, in November 2025, Prince Edward County Council endorsed a whole community approach to poverty reduction, grounded in the Bridges Out of Poverty model. This endorsement reflects a long-term commitment to raising awareness, aligning local efforts, and supporting coordinated strategies that address the complex realities of poverty in the County.
The Bridges Out of Poverty model provides a practical framework to help individuals, organizations, and communities address instability by building resources and strengthening understanding across economic classes. It offers:
- A shared language to talk meaningfully and respectfully about poverty
- Tools and strategies to reduce barriers and improve access to resources
- An inclusive, community-wide approach that recognizes everyone has a role in creating solutions
By engaging residents, agencies, businesses, educators, and local government, Bridges empowers Prince Edward County to co-create sustainable, locally grounded solutions that support long-term stability and wellbeing for all.
Additional Bridges Out of Poverty training and engagement opportunities will take place throughout 2026 as the County continues to expand community understanding and strengthen local capacity for collective poverty reduction.
Strategy Spotlight: Poverty Reduction Action Team Emerging Priority: Adopt a community wide approach to poverty reduction.
Domestic Violence, Sexual Violence and Intimate Partner Violence Action Team
Red Cards (re-launched in 2024)
The Domestic Violence, Sexual Violence, and Intimate Partner Violence Action Team has devoted time to updating the Red Card, which is a resource that helps connect victims of violence with available services. These cards were printed and began distribution in July 2024. The cards will be given to victims of violence in the community by local organizations and the Prince Edward County OPP.
Download the card here.
Strategy Spotlight: Domestic Violence, Sexual Violence, and Intimate Partner Violence Action Team Strategy 2: Increase the availability of existing supports and educational resources for domestic violence and intimate partner violence.
Red Card QR Code Keychain (Launched in Summer 2025)
To complement the updated Red Card, a scannable QR Code keychain has been developed. This discreet tool will link directly to the digital version of the Red Card, allowing individuals to access support information quickly and privately from their mobile devices — a vital option for those who may not feel safe carrying printed materials.
Strategy Spotlight: Domestic Violence, Sexual Violence, and Intimate Partner Violence Action Team Strategy 2: Increase the availability of existing supports and educational resources for domestic violence and intimate partner violence.
Survivor Forum (June 2025)
The Action Team hosted a confidential forum where survivors of domestic, sexual, and intimate partner violence were invited to share their experiences and insights in a safe, supportive setting with service providers and the OPP. The session provided valuable feedback that is now helping to shape future priorities and ensure that survivor voices remain central in the development of local supports and services.
Strategy Spotlight: Domestic Violence, Sexual Violence, and Intimate Partner Violence Action Team Strategy 2: Increase the availability of existing supports and educational resources for domestic violence and intimate partner violence.
Survivor Journey Survey (in development)
A new survey tool is being developed to better understand the experiences of survivors navigating local services. The insights gathered will help identify service gaps, barriers to access, and opportunities to improve coordination and survivor-centered care in Prince Edward County.
Strategy Spotlight: Domestic Violence, Sexual Violence, and Intimate Partner Violence Action Team Strategy 2: Increase the availability of existing supports and educational resources for domestic violence and intimate partner violence.
Believe Survivors Project — Community Awareness
As an effort to further community awareness and engagement, the DV‑SV‑IPV Action Team supported the Believe Survivors Project, an initiative created in response to the recent London sexual assault trial. The project reinforces a simple but powerful message: survivors are credible, reliable, and deserving of belief.
Two hat designs were created to spark conversation and increase visibility—one reading “Credible and Reliable” and the other “Believe Survivors.” Proceeds from the hat sales support the Quinte District Victims Fund, which provides financial assistance to individuals impacted by violence.
Alongside this initiative, Action Team member organizations continue to advance awareness of domestic violence, sexual violence and intimate partner violence through community events and outreach, helping to improve community understanding and ensure survivors feel supported across Prince Edward County.
Strategy Spotlight: Domestic Violence, Sexual Violence and Intimate Partner Violence Strategy 2: Increase the availability of existing supports and educational resources for domestic violence and intimate partner violence
Mental Health and Problematic Substance Use Action Team
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Quinte Partnership and Policy Advocacy (Ongoing)
The Action Team has re-established Prince Edward County’s partnership with MADD Quinte to raise awareness about impaired driving and its impacts in our community. This includes distributing educational materials, promoting national campaigns, and engaging the public in prevention efforts. In addition, the team has locally endorsed MADD Canada’s “Top 10 Municipal Measures” Report, a set of recommended actions for municipalities to strengthen impaired driving prevention and victim support.
Strategy Spotlight: Mental Health and Problematic Substance Use Action Team Emerging Priority: Reduce Impaired Driving in Prince Edward County.
Youth Resource Fair (November 2025)
On November 27, 2025, the Mental Health and Problematic Substance Use Action Team hosted a Youth Mental Health Resource Fair at Prince Edward Collegiate Institute (PECI), an event that received overwhelmingly positive feedback from students, staff, and participating organizations alike. All students in Grades 7–12 had the opportunity to visit the fair and explore a wide range of interactive and engaging booths focused on mental health, wellness, and substance use supports available in Prince Edward County.
Designed to be fun, memorable, and youth-friendly, the fair intentionally moved away from the feel of a traditional resource fair. Instead, it featured hands-on activities such as trivia games, bean bag toss, giant Jenga, prizes, snacks, and more.
Throughout their visit, students were encouraged to complete a feedback form. One key question asked: “Did this event help you learn about where to find mental health support in PEC?” Among the 167 youth who submitted their forms, they all answered “Yes” or “Other”.
This event succeeded in its goal of connecting youth with local tools, supports, and trusted organizations in a way that was welcoming, engaging, and genuinely youth centered. The Action Team hopes to bring this event to PECI again in 2026.
Strategy Spotlight: Mental Health and Problematic Substance Use Action Team Strategy 4: Support a community initiative to prevent problematic substance use and related risky behaviour by youth.
Prince Edward County Hoarding Action Response Team (HART)
In 2022, organizations within Prince Edward County established the PEC Hoarding Action Response Team (HART) to support individuals who hoard. Led by the Fire Prevention Staff, this team developed a comprehensive service flow and operating standards to address the complex challenges associated with hoarding. While not driven by the Mental Health and Problematic Substance Use Action Team, HART is an important community collaboration with ties to the Community Safety and Well-being Plan. Many of the organizations involved in the CSWB also participate in HART, contributing to a collaborative approach. Considering a rising number of cases where hoarding impacts housing stability, the team is now seeking funding for a full-time case manager to provide sustained support. The Fire Department leads a core group of organizations that offer crisis response, share best practices, and conduct regular training to enhance service delivery.
Strategy Spotlight: Mental Health and Problematic Substance Use Strategy 3: Re-invigorate and formalize the local hoarding coalition.
Exploring How to Restore Peer Support Services in Prince Edward County
The MHPSU Action Team is actively working to understand why Peer Support services left Prince Edward County and what is needed to bring them back. Members have been in ongoing conversation with Peer Support South East Ontario, exploring collaborative pathways to reestablish peer-led mental health supports in the community. This work aims to identify service gaps, strengthen regional partnerships, and ensure that residents in PEC once again have access to meaningful, lived experience-based support.
Strategy Spotlight: Mental Health and Problematic Substance Use Action Team Strategy 2: Expand peer support networks.
Housing and Homelessness Action Team
Housing Services Video Project
This new video series builds on the success of the County’s 2025 winter housing workshops, which provided tenants, landlords, and newcomers with vital information about rental rights, eviction prevention, and housing access. The Action Team has developed a set of short, accessible videos to further expand public awareness. These videos highlight housing access, housing stability, available supports, and successful tenancy. The goal is to reduce stigma, promote understanding, and make housing information more accessible to all.
Strategy Spotlight: Housing and Homelessness Action Team Strategy 2: Provide support for tenants to help find and maintain affordable housing.
Data Collection and Display
The Housing and Homelessness Action Team is working in collaboration with The County Foundation’s Vital Signs Coordinator to improve how local housing and homelessness data is collected, analyzed, and shared. This includes exploring tools like dashboards, infographics, and more to present data on housing market trends, rental availability, affordability, and more. The goal is to support evidence-based decision-making, increase transparency, and inform future planning across the community.
Strategy Spotlight: Housing and Homelessness Action Team Emerging Priority: Data-Informed Decision Making
Contact
Would you or your agency like to become involved in making change in Prince Edward County?
The success of the Community Safety and Well-being Plan relies on the engagement and involvement of community members like you. Interested in learning more about how you can be part of the progress toward a safer community?