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:
|
|
*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 agoHamilton borne & breadover 3 years agoBeing able to walk my dog at our local park without fear of off-leash dogs. Create more fenced in dog run areas within walking distance.
More fenced-in dog runs within walking distance
0 comment3eshackover 3 years agoA safe community is inclusive and doesn't discriminate based on social class and living circumstances. More true affordable housing needed
1 comment6pm10zsover 3 years agoA safe community where we feel comfortable walking around especially for those with disabilities.
0 comment1miss-jover 3 years agosafety/well-being in community = housing + mental health for all, end racism/violence, more public art/cultural events & green/clean space
0 comment5Suziqover 3 years agoA community where all feel safe-including marginalized and racialized groups where there is no tolerance for hateful/racist behaviour.
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Share Hate Incidents on Facebook Share Hate Incidents on Twitter Share Hate Incidents on Linkedin Email Hate Incidents link
Hate Incidents
over 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?
jonarmstrover 3 years agoTake responsibility!
In my 5 years as a resident of Hamilton, I went from giving city council the benefit of the doubt to realizing that they blow a whole lot of smoke. The city seems to SAY a lot about the need to make changes, does things like this engagement project, and then just forgets about the whole thing and never makes any actual concrete changes. In terms of Hate, the city has not taken any responsibility on any of the recent public incidents. Pride Festival, Yellow Vest protestors etc. Council just hums and haws. If you really want to stop hate speech then STOP IT. Nothing is stopping you except your biased constituents.
0 comment3KellyCover 3 years agoEducation and promoting cross cultural community building
People and institutions with power need to be educated on hate crimes, micro aggressions and how they/their institutions are part of systemic issues. More should be done to build bridges across communities to decrease racism/homophobia/ableism before it even begins. Individual community members could be educated through mail outs, community events, etc.
0 comment0catladyover 3 years agohate needs to be taken seriously in all forms. mandatory equity and anti-oppression training for all city employees (especially police)
0 comment6Joshua Bellover 3 years agoPunishment for the Crime
Stricter measures to be put in place for all people in government, city, or community leadership as to what is a hate crime and what will happen if one is committed with fast and strict measures if one is committed.
0 comment1lin94over 3 years agoEnsure a diverse government
Our government should accurately reflect those in the community to be able to speak to inequities and hate incidents of specific groups.
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Share Violence on Facebook Share Violence on Twitter Share Violence on Linkedin Email Violence link
Violence
over 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?
escarpmentover 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 comment0Joshua Bellover 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 comment0The Ravenover 3 years agoBetter and free access to mental health services. Put people in jail longer when they’ve committed crimes of violence.
0 comment3KLHover 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 comment0lin94over 3 years agoAbolish prisons and increase social supports and rehabilitation
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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
over 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?
escarpmentover 3 years agoSupportive housing
Continue increasing resources made available for the development of new supportive housing every year. Dramatically increase resources available to CityHousing Hamilton to ensure all units are of good quality so tenants feel dignified not stigmatized.
0 comment1Joshua Bellover 3 years agoAdvocation and Awareness
More awareness about the types of mental health disorders that people can have and where they are able to get help. Awareness to end the stigma around all types of mental health disorders and to encourage people who may need help to seek it.
0 comment0Richasover 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.
0 comment0hamiltoningover 3 years agoPolice should not attempt a mental health related interaction without the presence of a medical professional.
Police officers are trained to ensure the public's compliance through escalating threats and application of violence. These escalation based methods often do not work well with someone experiencing a mental health crisis. Where there are reasonable grounds to suspect someone is undergoing a mental health crisis, the police should avoid interaction until a qualified medical professional is on the scene.
0 comment1Grammyover 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!
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Housing and homelessness
over 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?
Richasover 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 comment0hamiltoningover 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 comment0cyberfarerover 3 years agoMake it possible to live without a car
Owning a car carries costs to the city, and individual. Make it possible to live without one by investing in transit and active transportation and eliminate minimum parking requirements for multi-tenant housing.
1 comment5catladyover 3 years agobuild affordable & supportive housing ASAP - change bylaws to permit modular housing
0 comment4Andreaover 3 years agoBuild designated encampment areas that provide for basic hygiene and safety needs
Outdoor handwashing stations, outhouses, feminine hygiene products, small personal shelters (cabins?), even shower and laundry facilities. Making it possible to keep dignity (hygiene, security) in tact while a person is suffering homelessness/ addiction will make it easier for people to bridge the gap back into 'society' when they are ready.
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Access to income
over 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?
Hamilton borne & breadover 3 years agoThe basic income pilot showed success and should be implemented locally. A person’s well-being can be positively influenced in this way.
Re-instate the Basic Income Pilot
1 comment4allie.hannover 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 comment1Momover 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 comment0escarpmentover 3 years agoAdvocate to the Province for increased ODSP rates
Our social contract essentially dictates that people who want money must work for it. Exceptions are made for those whose doctors affirm their disability is a barrier to work. In those cases, we support them with monthly ODSP payments, but they amount to less than 2/3 the poverty line. That is an injustice. Increasing ODSP rates to the poverty line would increase the provincial budget by around $2b annually but that's a challenge we must embrace. Advocate for new tax brackets at the top level of incomes if necessary.
0 comment0Smileworksover 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.
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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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Engagement Complete
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?