Friday, April 5, 2024 | Media Release
VICTORIA, BC — The City of Victoria is developing a Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan and is seeking community input. Once complete, the Plan will identify opportunities and actions for the City and multi-sector partners to help make the community safer and to improve the wellbeing of all Victorians.
“This public engagement will help us understand people’s thoughts, feelings, perceptions and opinions about wellbeing and safety, and encourage them to share their ideas on possible solutions,” said Mayor Marianne Alto. “Our Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan will include strategies to enhance the quality of life for our community – residents housed and unhoused, businesses, non-profits, workers of all kinds – to create a community that is safe and inclusive for everyone. The Plan will tackle a range of social issues, embracing an array of solutions.”
The public is invited to complete the Community Safety and Wellbeing Survey to share their concerns, experiences and suggestions. The online survey is available until May 12 and print copies can be picked up and dropped off at City Hall.
In addition, the City is working with six local facilitators who will reach out to more than 40 local organizations to create safe and supported dialogues about wellbeing and safety. Community conversations will also be held with members of the Songhees Nation, the Esquimalt Nation and local Indigenous organizations and the communities they serve.
In August 2023, an 11-member Community Leaders Panel was convened by Mayor Alto to guide the draft Plan’s development, including Indigenous, business, public health, housing, law enforcement, fire prevention, local service provider and neighbourhood leaders.
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.
Input from the public survey and community dialogues will inform the draft Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan’s recommended actions that will be presented to City Council for consideration in September.
For more information and to take the survey, visit engage.victoria.ca.
