Community Safety and Well-Being Plan
Consultation has concluded
The City of Hamilton and community partners have developed a Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) Plan for Hamilton. Hamilton’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan was unanimously adopted by Hamilton City Council on June 23, 2021. Review the plan here.
Under the Province's Safer Ontario Act, 2018 municipalities are required to develop a Community Safety & Well-being Plan using the provincial government’s Community Safety and Well-Being Framework.
A Community Safety and Well-Being Plan aims to create the community conditions where:
- Everyone is safe and has a sense of belonging
- Everyone has access to services; and
- Individual and families can meet their needs for education, health care, food, housing, income, and social and cultural expression.
Hamilton’s Community Safety and Well-Being Priorities
Community partners identified six local priorities for further investigation and collaboration that are included in Hamilton’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan. These priorities are:
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*Community engagement and service collaboration is happening through Hamilton’s Drug Strategy. To find out more about what Hamilton is doing to address substance use visit www.hamilton.ca/drugstrategy.
Join the community conversation!
Thank you to all of the Hamilton residents and service providers who took the time to lend your voices, expertise, share lived experiences and provide valuable input into the development of Hamilton’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan.
Engagement will continue through the implementation of Hamilton’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan. Future community engagement opportunities will continue to be posted on this site.
The City of Hamilton and community partners have developed a Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) Plan for Hamilton. Hamilton’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan was unanimously adopted by Hamilton City Council on June 23, 2021. Review the plan here.
Under the Province's Safer Ontario Act, 2018 municipalities are required to develop a Community Safety & Well-being Plan using the provincial government’s Community Safety and Well-Being Framework.
A Community Safety and Well-Being Plan aims to create the community conditions where:
- Everyone is safe and has a sense of belonging
- Everyone has access to services; and
- Individual and families can meet their needs for education, health care, food, housing, income, and social and cultural expression.
Hamilton’s Community Safety and Well-Being Priorities
Community partners identified six local priorities for further investigation and collaboration that are included in Hamilton’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan. These priorities are:
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|
*Community engagement and service collaboration is happening through Hamilton’s Drug Strategy. To find out more about what Hamilton is doing to address substance use visit www.hamilton.ca/drugstrategy.
Join the community conversation!
Thank you to all of the Hamilton residents and service providers who took the time to lend your voices, expertise, share lived experiences and provide valuable input into the development of Hamilton’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan.
Engagement will continue through the implementation of Hamilton’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan. Future community engagement opportunities will continue to be posted on this site.
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Share What does a safe community look like to you? on Facebook Share What does a safe community look like to you? on Twitter Share What does a safe community look like to you? on Linkedin Email What does a safe community look like to you? link
What does a safe community look like to you?
over 3 years agoDanielle cover 3 years agoSafe community includes developing local businesses that contribute to local jobs/incomes and contribute to the public realm
0 comment4pm10zsabout 3 years agoSafer, slower rural roads
Speed and volume is an issue on many of our rural roads. Pedestrians, cyclists and others feel unsafe to use.
0 comment0Hannahabout 3 years agoAffordable housing
0 comment3ozphotoabout 3 years agoReducing Noise
Noise is proven to be a contributing factor to high blood pressure and stress. We need to eliminate the sources of this noise which includes the exhaust noise of motocycles. Other jurisdictions like Oakville have bylaws backed up by Police to enforce the bylaw. There are many other areas across the country that are taken action.
0 comment0happy1over 3 years agoMore resources put out by different city centres (ie. recreation centres, libraries, etc.)
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Hate Incidents
about 3 years agoCommunity safety and well-being cannot be addressed in isolation by any one institution, organization, sector, or individual; it needs all our collective action. Hearing a range of perspectives will give us the best possible chance to find creative, meaningful and appropriate solutions to complex issues facing Hamilton.
Please reflect on your own personal stories and experiences with hate when answering the following question:
What do you see as practical next steps that can be taken as a community, individual or organization, to address hate incidents?
catladyabout 3 years agohate needs to be taken seriously in all forms. mandatory equity and anti-oppression training for all city employees (especially police)
0 comment6Richasabout 3 years agoDefund the HPS
The HPS (Hamilton police) have been shown to be guilty of targeting vulnerable populations and minorities in Hamilton. We need to start defunding them and re allocating the funds to help our community. They only act as bullies protecting private property. They do not help our community. The force has a huge systemic racism and sexism problem that cannot be solved with more money. It is deep rooted. We need new systems to address our community's issues.
2 comments2Hugh Tyeabout 3 years agoSign up for "Listen, Learn, Act: An Anti-Hate Community Summit" taking place May 19th and 20th sponsored by No Hate in the Hammer.
0 comment1KLHabout 3 years agoMessaging from the top down and funding from the bottom up.
Researchers across North America and Europe recommend that messaging and behaviour president must come from those in government and law enforcement. Those in places of power must condemn acts of hate and more importantly hate motivated thinking processes and attitudes. Less than one third of all hate incidents are reported to police, which means the numbers reported each year represent a fraction of victims. Fear of retaliation, fear of further victimization by police, language barriers, and a lack of understanding are the top reasons why people don't report. People in power need to live the message and hand the power to grassroots movements and non-profit organization to mobilize and collaborate to ensure services are in place to support victims and intervene with perpetrators. Governments and law enforcement agencies need to be prepared to recognize that their policies and practice are directly prohibiting victims from reporting and be ready to make difficult and sweeping changes. Tokenism and messages of "togetherness" are not enough to solve hate crime. It is no secret in Hamilton that bias, racist, and oppressive practices are rampant in city council and police services; why would a victim report victimization to their abuser? A prime example of this is the current issue with HWDSB Trustees. It is clear from a victim perspective that racism is okay in hamilton and in hamilton schools. Studies are clear that this type of power hoarding and intentional disregard will perpetuate hate motivated thinking and behaviours among perpetrators. Further, hate crime will not be impacted in any meaningful way until there are sweeping changes in the police service. Year after year we see the treatment of marginalized citizens by police and rail against the overconfidence, power hungry, and militant practices. Yet, nothing changes and the city continues to cling to old ideas of law enforcement. Every time there is an incident such as the recent video of police lunging at a trans woman who was simply trying to explain her side of a story, there is a baffled response by government and police. That officer victimized an individual that is in a demographic that experiences the most violent forms of hate crime. Why would she report to police? Our police service and their practices perpetuate violence in our city and are nowhere near being able to address hate crime in any meaningful way. Such behaviour by officers is clearly acceptable and encouraged, otherwise it wouldn't happen, particularly when the officer knows they are on camera. It is important to note that hate crime has a reverberation effect that can be global in nature. This means that every victim who saw that video is now less likely to report to police and more likely to be victimized again. They are more likely to experience trauma and not recieve supports. When we call for defunding police, we don't mean get rid of the police. We mean redirect the overabundance of funding that allows for the purchasing of militarizing equipment and capital purchases to projects such as this that require significant, long term, sustainable funding of non-profits and grassroots groups to prevent incidents, support victims, educate the public, and intervene with perpetrators. Police would have to be involved less if the Hamilton City government adopted funding policies that were based on research and not fear.
0 comment0validpointabout 3 years agoThe City of Hamilton should not be engaging in restricting freedom of speech. The City should fix our roads not waste money on this program
Stick to municipal issues and stay out of the censorship business
0 comment1 -
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Violence
about 3 years agoCommunity safety and well-being cannot be addressed in isolation by any one institution, organization, sector, or individual; it needs all our collective action. Hearing a range of perspectives will give us the best possible chance to find creative, meaningful and appropriate solutions to complex issues facing Hamilton.
Please reflect on your own personal stories and experiences with violence when answering the following question:
What do you see as practical next steps that can be taken as a community, individual or organization, to address violence?
Joshua Bellabout 3 years agoAwareness and Resources
Better resources made available to prevent all type of violent incidences from ones including police to ones that are out of the ordinary and need more assistance. Better awareness as well to such incidences when they take place so that others that may have been affected in the community feel safe around the area still.
0 comment0escarpmentabout 3 years agoOffer City resources to support the growth of Restorative Justice programs in Hamilton
Offer start-up grants, office space or whatever is needed by those who would offer RJ programs. Review the leadership of Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council and Community Justice Initiatives and seek their guidance on emulating their work in Hamilton.
0 comment0Grammyabout 3 years agoCourts support Police! Seems so many problems are from repeat offenders or those out on Probation! The HPS must feel that their hands tied!
0 comment0KLHabout 3 years agoProvide sustainable long term funding to programs and services that are shown to reduce violence.
Violence is the symptom and not the problem. Violence is born out of fear and a battle to maintain a place of power. Gang warfare, domestic violence, hate crime, etc. all come from the same place. This must start from ensuring that everyone has access to basic needs, an opportunity to grow and thrive in education, and an equitable opportunity to access post secondary education. It must then continue through to providing long-term, comprehensive programs and services that provide intervention services to individuals who exhibit violent behavior. Incarceration alone will only perpetuate violent behaviour and support the individual's narrative that "the system" is against them. Recognize that violence generally happens in the communities that are most in need. This should be no surprise given the well studied factors that contribute to criminality and violence. The city does not actively work with the members of these communities in any meaningful way to determine the needs of the community and what the male youths (largest demographic of violent behaviour) are experiencing that pushes them towards exhibiting violent behaviour. Because violence is a symptom, it cannot be solved in a silo and must be considered in a socio-cultural context. Why are young, male, racialized groups engaging in violence? Why are young white males engaged in violence towards racialized groups? They are fighting to keep whatever power and resources they have or fighting to get what they don't have. We must address the issues of poverty and oppression before violence can be address. A final point of thought is that the City and the POlice service must set the example and live by an anti-violence framework. This means that policing must change the way it is interacting in these communities and community services/grassroots groups must be supported financially and politically to carry out the work that is needed. It may feel counterproductive, but violence is not a law enforcement issue. It is first and foremost a societal issue that requires a social solution.
0 comment0KellyCabout 3 years agoMental health care, harm reduction services, income supports and affordable, supportive housing
Have more in-depth free mental health care for those committing violent crimes. Have early interventions and counselling for perpetrators and victims of domestic violence. Offer harm reduction services for this with substance use disorders. Get people into appropriate affordable housing. Lift people out of poverty by advocating to increase minimum wage Ontario works and ODSP rates. .
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Share Mental health and stigma on Facebook Share Mental health and stigma on Twitter Share Mental health and stigma on Linkedin Email Mental health and stigma link
Mental health and stigma
about 3 years agoCommunity safety and well-being cannot be addressed in isolation by any one institution, organization, sector, or individual; it needs all our collective action. Hearing a range of perspectives will give us the best possible chance to find creative, meaningful and appropriate solutions to complex issues facing Hamilton.
Please reflect on your own personal stories and experiences with mental health and stigma when answering the following question:
What do you see as practical next steps that can be taken as a community, individual or organization, to address mental health and stigma?
Joshua Bellabout 3 years agoResources
Better access to resources for all people and to awareness of where these resources are located for people to access.
0 comment0Grammyabout 3 years agoNot penalize people on a sudden decision to hurt themselves & realize they weren't going to but the Police take away license for 3 months!
Need better Mental Health support Not Punishment!
0 comment1Pixiegalabout 3 years agoEducational Campaigns to Reduce Stigma
There is a lot of support for people in the community experiencing mental health concerns, but a lack of education for families and community members to support people. Increase support to families of people with mental health concerns and provide practical ways for families and friends to support people they love.
0 comment1Hamilton borne & breadabout 3 years agoA don’t judge social media/ad campaign focusing on showing everyday people that suffer, but get treatment, for their illness. Positive ads
0 comment1Richasabout 3 years agoA more robust program to address mental health crises
The police force is constantly being sent in to deal aggressively and violently with mental health issues. They are not properly trained and do not know how to de escalate these scenarios. We need multiple teams of mental health experts that can be sent in to de escalate and provide specialized care to our community members with mental health challenges.
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Housing and homelessness
about 3 years agoCommunity safety and well-being cannot be addressed in isolation by any one institution, organization, sector, or individual; it needs all our collective action. Hearing a range of perspectives will give us the best possible chance to find creative, meaningful and appropriate solutions to complex issues facing Hamilton.
Please reflect on your own personal stories and experiences with housing and homelessness when answering the following question:
What do you see as practical next steps that can be taken as a community, individual or organization, to address housing and homelessness?
hamiltoningabout 3 years agoImprove transit and make city employees work remotely to reduce demand for parking downtown, build affordable housing instead of parking.
With more extensive and long term remote work policies, land that is currently used for parking could be used for affordable housing downtown, where many social support services would already be in walking distance.
0 comment0Doodabout 3 years agomake it mandatory for developers to have to include a percentage of apartments or condos to be affordable to lower income
0 comment0Richasabout 3 years agoUpdate bylaws and allow/sustain encampments
We do not have enough affordable housing in the city. Encampments are a natural outcome. We cannot keep destroying people's attempts at surviving when shelters are constantly at capacity. We need to update bylaws to allow affordable housing asap and allow and support existing encampments.
0 comment0TempistMacLeodabout 1 year agoThose with lived experience, should come together and open our governments eyes on how serious this pandemic is becoming.
This is a serious matter at hand, that's only becoming worse, without the proper support and backbone, Hamiltonians who are in crisis NEED.
0 comment0escarpmentabout 3 years agoExpropriate vacant potential housing units for affordable housing
Investors leaving units empty has not reached prominence in Hamilton to the same level as Toronto and Vancouver, but it's better to address the issue before it becomes a problem. Review the leadership of Montreal and Barcelona on this matter: 1. https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/montreal-claims-first-right-of-refusal-on-300-properties-for-social-housing 2. https://scoop.me/barcelona-affordable-housing-policy-apartments/
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Access to income
about 3 years agoCommunity safety and well-being cannot be addressed in isolation by any one institution, organization, sector, or individual; it needs all our collective action. Hearing a range of perspectives will give us the best possible chance to find creative, meaningful and appropriate solutions to complex issues facing Hamilton.
Please reflect on your own personal stories and experiences with access to income when answering the following question:
What do you see as practical next steps that can be taken as a community, individual or organization, to address access to income?
Smileworksabout 3 years agoConnect individuals to valuable resources - "You don't know what you don't know”
Income - regular work, part-time work, gig work, EI, social services, etc - how do we help get access to the right supports when that income is gone? It is often difficult to access financial supports when a job is lost, benefits end, families separate, or illness occurs. Just telling someone to apply for EI, OSAP, job retraining, ODSP or Ontario Works isn’t always enough. Not everyone qualifies, and sometimes we need to do more than just point, or tell someone to look at an unclear website, but instead EXPLAIN why and how. Some individuals or families are just past the cut-off threshold for support yet are struggling to pay for their home, food or transportation. Then what? What happens when individuals are unsure of WHAT questions to ask or WHO to ask to get access to a resource or service. Anyone can fall through the cracks because someone tells them NO and they don't know where to go next. This applies to youth and adults of all ages; educated or not, experienced or not - if someone tells you No, how many people just stop in their tracks? Then add in barriers. If individuals do not have family or community supports, do not feel safe, struggle with physical or mental health challenges, feel marginalized or racialized, will they push forward or feel that no one will listen? Why make individuals work so hard just to get the information they need? Most would help a friend learn about resources when they ask, so why not help our community? Create a "Resource Person" role within our city to help guide all individuals to the services they need. Make the role accessible virtually, over the phone or in person. This is not a social services worker or reception role, but a person who can actively assist individuals to learn how to access resources or services. We also need to consider how much work or how many "clicks" it takes to access a resource, and if it is accessible or clear to everyone. By providing a clearer path we can help individuals get to where they WANT to be, not where they end up.
0 comment0Joshua Bellabout 3 years agoAccessibility
Jobs are in Hamilton and there are a lot of jobs that are to be had however people's way of getting there may not be so good. if there was better access to public transportation and/or other ways to get to places in the city, more jobs may be had creating more stimulating in the Hamilton economy and more money for everyone.
0 comment0allie.hannabout 3 years agoInterim support for those who ‘fall through the cracks.’
Many people cannot access existing income supports at federal and provincial levels because they do not qualify, have used up their entitlements, are waiting long timeframes for decisions to be reached, or do not have the tools to navigate complex processes. The city needs to make interim income and social support available so people do not fall through the cracks and have to face eviction, hunger, family separation or unnecessary hardships.
0 comment1Momabout 3 years agoTransit schedules that connect you to jobs
Hamilton has a lot of good jobs just not accessible by bus or practical by bus Invest in transit to make it easier to get to work. A lot of buses don't connect. and you spend a lot of your commute time waiting for buses. It's impossible to plan a trip in the east end where buses actually connect . you end up waiting half hour+ because the bus your on, missed the connect bus by 2 mins . After working 12hrs and its -20 i cant explain the stress.
0 comment0KLHabout 3 years agoSupport for a Universal Basic Income and equitable access to post secondary education
Access to adequate income is a symptom of a much larger systemic problem. The City needs to actively join the voices of social services and citizens calling for the Provincial and Federal Government to step up and provide a universal basic income. Families works several jobs and still can't make ends meet. "Pulling up the boot straps" and working more is not a solution to earning more. Whether an individual is supported by Ontario Works or multiple jobs, they do not have the supports they need to meet their needs. OW perpetuates a cycle that is nearly impossible to get out of permanently. The City must champion our low-socioeconomic status citizens to our provincial and federal government for a Universal Basic Income. The Federal Government determined that people need a minimum of $2000 per month to pay basic expenses. This still falls short considering the cost of rent and food in our city. It is impossible in this forum to go into all of the nuances of how the current social support system is oppressive and prohibits people from getting out but here are a few points; - Being forced to take out enormous loans to attend post secondary school is prohibitive. The cost of school is not the only barrier facing those who cannot afford tuition. Equitable solutions that ensure people have a safe place to live, reliable transportation to campus, food, and mental health supports is just the beginning. However the income gap between those who have post secondary and those who do not is enormous and telling. - When leaving the OW system for employment, people are forced to take jobs that do not provide medical benefits, sick time, or vacation. These "privileges" are necessary for success for those suffering from mental health and addiction. Eventually, low income jobs cause loss of home, lack of adequate food to keep working, and stopping expensive medications that manage mental health conditions. They are also exploited by employers who threaten to fire them if they take sick time due to mental health. - The traveling necessary to find and maintain work in the city is prohibitive. Spending hours on buses to get to interviews or to get to work shifts on time is expensive and leaves no time for the other supports necessary to their wellbeing such as counselling appointments, methadone clinics, A.A. meetings, psychiatrist appointments, doctors appointments, etc. -Accessing subsidised or affordable child care is nearly impossible and often results in traveling an hour in one direction to drop a child off, then travelling an hour in another direction to get to work. Then parents feel stressed about getting to pick up their child on time and punished when they can't because of transit. - Those who have multiple jobs spend time traveling between jobs, balancing the demands of multiple exploitive bosses, and experience significant health issues resulting from long term stress and neglect of health/mental health. People generally want to work and contribute to their communities in meaningful ways. Ensuring they can work and earn enough to support themselves, increases their capacity to contribute and reduces their reliance on emergency rooms, social services, etc. Again, the research is there. We just choose to ignore it. Canada is not the only country that studied this project.
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Who's Listening
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JH
Phone 905-546-2424 x7857 Email Jennifer.Hohol@hamilton.ca
Project Timelines
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Establish Advisory Committee - December 2019
Community Safety and Well-Being Plan has finished this stage -
Identify Risk Factors
Community Safety and Well-Being Plan has finished this stageIdentify Community Safety and Well-Being Risk Factors - January 2020
** The Community Safety and Wellbeing Planning process was put on hold in March due to efforts needed to respond to COVID-19.
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Engagement Phase 1
Community Safety and Well-Being Plan has finished this stageEngagement Phase 1 - Feedback via Engage Hamilton platform tools
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Engagement Phase 2
Community Safety and Well-Being Plan has finished this stageFeedback via virtual meetings - February 22, 24 and 25, 2021
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Approval
Community Safety and Well-Being Plan has finished this stageCommunity Safety and Well-Being Plan approval: June 2021
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Implementation
Community Safety and Well-Being Plan is currently at this stageImplementation of the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan: July 2021 and ongoing
FAQs
- What is a Community Safety and Well-Being Plan?
- Why is the CSWB Plan being created?
- Who is involved in the development of Hamilton’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan?
- What is the role of the Advisory?
- How will my input be used?
- Will there be further community engagement on this plan?
- Who will approve Hamilton’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan?