Community Safety and Well-Being Plan
Overview
North Bay’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan (CSWBP) is a coordinated effort to foster a safe, healthy and inclusive community by responding to identified priority risks. The Plan, which is required under the Police Services Act, builds upon the community’s strengths while also addressing gaps in the community’s safety and well-being landscape. Ultimately, the Plan sets out to meet locally identified goals, outcomes and objectives through evidence-based outputs and actions.
For the purpose of this planning and implementation, 'community safety and well-being' is defined as a multi-sectoral approach to mitigate reliance on reactionary and incident driven response by implementing social development practices through identification and response to risks that increase the likelihood of criminal activity, victimization or harm.
- A reduction in harm and victimization for all members of the community and a decrease in the upward trends in demand for, and costs of, incident (emergency) responses.
- Local risk factors are identified, prioritized, and addressed before they escalate and reach critical levels.
- The response matches the need: individuals are receiving the right response at the right time by the right service provider.
- Risks to community safety in areas such as mental health, addiction, homelessness and housing, are addressed without the use of emergency resources where possible.
- The demand for incident responses and acute care resources is reduced.
- Community resources relevant to community safety and well-being are coordinated and aligned.
- An implementation framework and system is in place to implement the CSWB plan and monitor, evaluate, and report on the plan’s progress and outcomes.
CSWB Plan FINAL1
North Bay’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan (CSWBP).
Sub-Reports
- Sub Report 1 Literature Review
- Sub Report 2 Community Asset Mapping
- Sub Report 3 Community Consultations
CSWBP Resources
The City of North Bay provides funding on an annual basis to the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board (DNSSAB) which, in turn, funds community agencies that help people who experience homelessness and those at risk of becoming homeless. This includes emergency shelter, support services and outreach.
Mayor’s Roundtable
In September of 2019, 30 community organizations gathered for a Roundtable on Mental Health and Addictions at the invitation of North Bay Mayor Al McDonald. The group was charged with identifying gaps in the community related to mental health and addiction services, poverty reduction, and homelessness, and coming up with an Action Plan to address these gaps.
Following the meeting, the Mayor’s Roundtable Action Team began working with partners in the community on priorities, including development of transitional housing, implementation of needs-based planning and the creations of 24/7 community supports.
Since that time, a number of new initiatives have been launched to help better serve vulnerable and marginalized populations and to address community concerns.
This includes:
- The Healthy Community Ambassador Program - provides outreach services to vulnerable people in the Downtown area and support to business owners and patrons.
- Low Barrier Shelter – provides 20 shelter spaces at 590 Chippewa Street.
- Transitional housing units - Through Provincial funding partnerships, DNSSAB is constructing 36 transitional and supportive housing units at 590 Chippewa Street, 16 of which are slated to open in early 2021.
- Community Resource Patrol – consisting of four officers and a sergeant, this new unit was launched in November of 2020 to take proactive approach on issues such as property crimes and break-ins in areas such as the downtown.
- News Release Community Ambassador Program, Aug. 12, 2019
- News Release Transitional Housing Announced Nov. 26, 2019
- News Release Mayor's Roundtable Report, Feb. 20, 2020
Mayor's Community Roundtable Action Team Report
The final report and recommendations release in February of 2020 from the Mayor's Community Roundtable Action Team, which was struck in September of 2019.
If you, or anyone you know, are homeless, services are available by reaching out to the agencies listed below:
- Low Barrier Shelter – 590 Chippewa Street North Bay, open 8:30pm-8am, 705-358-5901.
- Crisis Centre North Bay -Four Elms – 1675 Cassells Street, North Bay, (705) 474-1031, open 24 hours, 7 days/week, accepting men, women and children who are homeless and/or fleeing domestic violence.
Or by Calling:
- Canadian Mental Health Association, North Bay and District (formerly Nipissing Mental Health Housing and Support Services (NMHHSS) - (705) 476-4088
- Crisis Centre North Bay - (705) 474-1031
- Low Income People Involvement (LIPI) - (705) 472-1337
- North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre (NBIFC) - (705) 472-2811
If you are in crisis or experiencing an emergency, you are reminded to call 911.
Encampments
The City of North Bay is aware there has been an increase of visible homelessness in the community which has resulted in concerns about the safety and well-being of people living outdoors in encampments, and the impact on nearby residents, businesses and the broader community. Encampments are not permitted in City parks and the City has worked with its community partners to provide outreach and respond to encampments that prioritizes health and safety.