Community Safety and Well-Being Plan

Local 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:

• hate incidents
• violence
• mental health and stigmatization
• substance use
• homelessness and access to affordable housing
• access to income

Balanced Approach

Community Safety and Well-Being plans support safe and healthy communities through a community-based approach to address root causes of complex social issues. Planning seeks to achieve a proactive, balanced and collaborative approach to community safety and well-being across four key areas:

• Social Development - promoting and maintaining community safety and well-being.
• Prevention - Proactivity reducing identified risks.
• Risk Intervention - Mitigating situations of elevated risk.
• Incident Response - Critical and non-critical incident response.

Current Focus Areas

In November 2022, a community partner workshop was held bringing together more than 110 participants, representing a wide range of sectors and organizations to inform what initiatives should be included in the CSWBP Implementation Plan to address priority areas. Feedback from the workshop was utilized to inform the following focus areas.

Implementing the Building Safer Communities Grant Initiative

The Building Safer Communities Grant initiative is a partnership with Public Safety Canada. The intent of the initiative is to provide multi-year funding for community-led initiatives that aim to prevent, and address risk factors associated with youth gun and gang violence.

From 2023 -2026, nearly $2.5 million dollars will be invested into community initiatives through this grant to support specific priorities identified in Hamilton’s Building Safe Communities Multi-Year Plan.

Informed by community engagements with youth, parents and guardians and service providers across Hamilton the funding will focus on these priorities:

• Preventive Programs that facilitate youth and community connections, build positive pathways including employment, recreation, mentorship as well as awareness and education around the realities of gang involvement.
• Comprehensive Support Services expand and launch programs that support youth exiting gangs through comprehensive support services.

Programming will focus on empowering Indigenous, Black, Female and Newcomer Youth to achieve their goals.

For more information view the BSC Multi-Year Plan(PDF, 10.31 MB).

Implementing a Situation Table in Hamilton

Working with more than 20 community partners to establish a "situation table" that will support those at risk of harm. This table will work quickly to assess risks and coordinate support. It will bring together a diverse team of experts in human services who will collaborate to connect individuals and families facing serious risks with the support they need right away.

Advancing a Community Safety & Well-Being Data Strategy

This strategy will identify risk and protective factors that contribute to community safety and well-being and inform local challenges impacting community safety and well-being, identify targets to focus our efforts and align resources for greatest impact in our community.

Aligning Hate Prevention and Mitigation

Aligning the City’s Hate Prevention and Mitigation Plan with broader community safety goals and building on partnerships with community initiatives such as Anti Hate Coalition, Hamilton for All, and Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre. The ongoing focus includes strengthening the city’s response to hate incidents, implementing proactive measures to reduce hate and discrimination, and creating inclusive community spaces that foster belonging and diverse interactions.

Enhancing Community-Driven Solutions to Community Safety & Well-Being

We’re collaborating with residents and community partners to foster community-driven solutions. These solutions will involve everyone in the community coming together to identify issues and then working as a team to create projects and initiatives aimed at addressing them. The ultimate aim is to bring about positive change within the community.

In addition to the above-mentioned focus areas, other partners and City divisions are also actively working to figure out the specific ways in which Community Safety and Well-Being initiatives can contribute to various important causes, such as:

• Advocating for living wage and basic income
• Conducting gender-based safety audits
• Addressing gender-based violence and intimate partner violence
• Promoting Pride awareness
• Supporting initiatives such as “Hamilton for All” and the Anti-Hate Toolkit

Hamilton’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan development is overseen by an advisory committee, referred to as the System Leadership Table, which meets both legislative requirements and brings together various sectors’ perspectives to provide strategic advice and direction to the City on the development and implementation of the plan.