FAQs
Assessment of the community’s safety and wellbeing issues
Identification of priorities and goals
Strategies and recommended actions
Resource allocation
Budgeting
Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms
Support a range of civilian, bylaw and policing crisis response and prevention services.
Beautify, support and enhance Victoria’s downtown and urban villages.
Advance City policies that support accessibility, equity, diversity and inclusion through a social justice lens.
Develop and implement a community safety plan.
Support innovative, wellbeing solutions to reduce harm for housed and unhoused people living in neighbourhoods where there are shelters.
Work with partner agencies and governments to create life opportunities for unhoused people.
Brianna Bear, Speaker and Artist, Songhees Nation
Daniel Atkinson, Chief, Victoria Fire Department
Del Manak, Chief, Victoria Police Department
Jonny Morris, CEO, Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division
Julian Daly, CEO, Our Place Society
Marianne Alto, Mayor, City of Victoria
Mike Benusic, Medical Health Officer, Island Health
Robert Jawl, Managing Director, Jawl Properties Ltd.
Sandra Severs, President, Victoria Downtown Residents Association and Chair, Victoria Community Association Network
Shelly D’Mello, CEO, Inter-cultural Association of Greater Victoria
Suzanne Bradbury, Co-Owner/CEO, Fort Properties
What is a Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan?
A Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan is a strategic document that outlines a coordinated approach to enhancing safety, security and overall wellbeing within a community. Such a plan can be developed by a local government in collaboration with social service providers, community stakeholders, residents and businesses.
The primary goal is for the plan to address social, economic and environmental factors that contribute to the safety and wellbeing of individuals in the community.
What does a Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan include?
Such a plan typically includes:
Why do we need a Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan?
Victoria City Council’s 2023 – 2026 Strategic Plan identifies eight priorities. Among these priorities is Community Wellbeing and Safety. The Strategic Plan maps out six pathways to achieving this priority:
In June 2023, Mayor Marianne Alto proposed a Council Member Motion that outlined a mechanism to achieve the fourth path “Develop and implement a community safety plan” while supporting and complementing the other five paths. Council endorsed this Motion.
The Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan will serve as a roadmap for improving safety and wellbeing in Victoria. It will include recommended actions and resources and will foster collaboration among community stakeholders.
What types of issues does a Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan address?
The Plan can address a range of issues related to safety and wellbeing, such as crime prevention, mental health services, substance abuse prevention and services, housing and homelessness, services for youth, families and seniors, food security, climate action and emergency preparedness.
Who is involved with the Plan’s development?
In August 2023, Mayor Alto convened an 11-member Community Leaders Panel to guide the Plan’s development. The Panel includes Indigenous, business, public health, housing, law enforcement, fire prevention, local service provider and neighbourhood leaders.
Panel gatherings have focused on discussion about current community wellbeing within Victoria and how to use that understanding to develop public engagement.
The Panel has met regularly since August and has guided the work that had led to the public survey.
The Community Leaders Panel members include:
What is Muflehun?
Muflehun is a resource centre that conducts research and analysis of current hate and extremism challenges. It is deriving data from a variety of Canadian sources to compare data on crime, safety and hate in six communities to create comparators for local data. This research will help inform development of the Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan.
Based in the United States, Muflehun was selected to work on this project. Their expertise, knowledge and proficiency in the area of data analysis establishes them as a leader in this field. They are funded by the Government of Canada and their work is being done at no cost to the City of Victoria.
What is the Canadian Centre for Safer Communities?
Development of the Plan is being supported by the Canadian Centre for Safer Communities, a community of practice created to support municipalities to invest in effective, evidence-based and collaborative crime prevention strategies.
Will the recommended short and long-term actions fall within the City’s municipal role and responsibilities?
The draft Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan that will be presented to Council for consideration in September will include a suite of recommendations around public safety and wellbeing. Some recommendations may include the City taking on responsibility of other levels of government, while others may simply be advocacy recommendations.