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.
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
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.
Seniors Support Action Team
Pedestrian Safety Campaign (Launching late 2024)
Prince Edward Community Care for Seniors Association, in partnership with the Seniors Support Action Team, has received a grant from the Ministry of Transportation to launch a pedestrian safety campaign aimed at educating both pedestrians and drivers on safe practices.
New Horizons Seniors' Advisory Group (Ongoing)
The Seniors Support Action Team has started a Seniors’ Advisory Group as a way to involve residents in the Community Safety and Well-being Plan. This group of seniors and caregivers will provide feedback on the current Plan and make recommendations to be considered in the development of the 2026-2030 edition. In addition, the group will be supported to develop activities and/or events for seniors, by seniors. This project is funded by the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors 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.
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.
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. The Municipal Council has committed funding for this program through to the end of this term of Council. This program supports active living and social inclusion for seniors in Prince Edward County.
Poverty Reduction Action Team
Poverty Reduction Strategy Development (Ongoing)
The Poverty Reduction Action Team is working toward a community-wide poverty reduction strategy for Prince Edward County. This strategic approach will aim to reduce or eliminate poverty in the area using an Asset Based Community Development approach. Community engagement will begin in late 2024 to build support for a local poverty-reduction movement, leading to the development of a plan of action in 2025.
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.
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.
Mental Health and Problematic Substance Use Action Team
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 a direct outcome of the Community Safety and Well-being Plan (CSWB), HART aligns with the strategies of the Mental Health and Problematic Substance Use priority area. Many of the organizations involved in 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.
Housing and Homelessness Action Team
Housing and Homelessness Resource
The Housing and Homelessness Action Team have been gathering resources specific to those in need. These resources include housing supports, homelessness supports, legal services, financial resources, food resources, transportation options, youth specific resources, mental health and substance use supports, and more. This resource is still in development and is set to release by the end of 2024.
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?