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The survey has now closed but the response has been overwhelming.
Feedback from the community was billed as an essential part of creating a plan to identify and address priority risks and increase safety and wellness in North Bay.
See original story: Take a survey to identify, address priority risks and increase safety, wellness in North Bay
The community came through as, according to District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board CAO Catherine Matheson, some 3,000 residents and 70 organizations responded to the City of North Bay's call for input into the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan.
Matheson spoke during the social services board's meeting, Wednesday, indicating the City of North Bay has engaged DNSSAB to undertake the administration of the plan. DNSSAB is receiving funding from the City for the research and community consultation process.
"The first draft was presented to the City of North Bay in the past few weeks and the final plan will be submitted to Council in June," said Matheson. Nine focus groups comprising 70 community service providers were held to gather information, in addition to the 3,000 public survey responses from those who live and/or work in North Bay.
"That's an incredible amount of information coming forward," observed Matheson, noting the data collected is relevant to the endeavours of the DNSSAB.
The Police Services Act requires municipalities to develop and adopt plans to improve community safety and well-being plans in Ontario. The plan must be developed in partnership with an advisory committee comprised of representation from police and local service providers including health/mental health, education, community/social services and children/youth services.
For more information on the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan and to access the survey, click here. Themes covered in the research include:
- mental health
- addictions
- education
- employment
- income
- the local economy
- poverty
- homelessness
- housing
- family violence
- discrimination
- victimization
- the built environment
The next step in the process calls for partnership development and plan implementation. An action plan will be developed in coordination with stakeholders and partnerships will be established to drive the plan’s successful implementation.
The final draft of the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan will be presented to City Council in the coming weeks as it will need to be adopted by Council before the provincial deadline of July 1.
