Municipal Community Safety and Well Being Plan
In the beginning of 2020, community leaders were informed of their participation in the development of a Community Safety and Well-Being plan for the municipality of Sault Ste. Marie. This plan, legislated by the Police Services Act, is designed to mitigate immediate social risks that lead to crime and that negatively impact a community member’s wellbeing and ability to have a healthy quality of life. With the collaborative efforts of existing community planning tables and committees, dedicated to meeting the needs and filling services gaps, social issues such as poverty, mental health, addictions, unemployment and housing issues can transformed into sustainable outcomes through both long and short term actions as they contribute to overall social development in Sault Ste. Marie.
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching provincial state of emergency response in the spring of 2020 and continuing to be unresolved as of January 2021, a common concern for multiple stakeholders including community members is the exacerbation of mental health and substance use disorders in the community, which has affected all sectors and population groups. The impact of poverty on community members has also been highlighted by the pandemic and prioritized by all levels of government to increase access to housing, shelter and food security for the community’s most vulnerable members.
The Algoma Leadership Table, informed by several community consultations prioritized mental health and addictions as well as poverty as the community risks that require coordinated, strategic efforts that a plan such as this provides. Sault Ste. Marie has many community planning tables and recent community reports and publications such as the Drug Strategy Call for Action, the Impact on Poverty report and community consultation data to assist in the development of this plan.
The plan has compiled evidence-based interventions to implement by identified stakeholders and indicators to track effectiveness. The report includes a summary of the Community Safety and Well-Being Framework and community risks, the consultation process and the strategic action plan. Although the plan has assigned responsibilities to participating community organizations and tables, the community of Sault Ste. Marie must continue to be responsive to the needs of those who require concerted efforts of creating a safe, welcoming community where all persons can achieve prosperity and support when needed.
Municipal Community Safety and Well Being Plan