Under the Ministry of the Solicitor General the Safer Ontario Act has been passed with the objective to modernize Ontario’s approach to community safety. This legislation mandates every municipality in Ontario to create a community safety and well-being plan (CSWB) by 2021. The municipal councils of the Townships of Brudenell, Lyndoch and Raglan; Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards; Madawaska Valley; and South Algonquin have taken the significant action to work collaboratively. All four municipalities have passed resolutions announcing community safety and well-being (CSWB) as a priority and committing to work together on the design of a regional plan. The aim is to enhance the provision of services and quality of life across the area. This collaboration is inspired by the seven municipalities in North Hastings who originally adopted this unique approach.
To facilitate the planning, a CSWB coordinating committee has been formed which includes CAO/Clerks from each municipality. The member municipalities have hired Dr. Meara Sullivan to provide professional expertise and coordination of the plan development. Dr. Sullivan has advised the North Hastings CSWB planning process and has taught development of CSWB at Loyalist College. “It makes a lot of sense for the municipalities to work together,” Dr. Sullivan said. “Especially in rural areas, organizations which will be pertinent to the process almost always serve across multiple municipal boundaries. By working together municipalities can break down barriers, and help build community across the region.”
The plan development will continue over the next twelve months. The next phase will include recruitment and meeting with advisors from local communities, agencies and organizations. That will be followed by a period of public consultation which ensures that the plan reflects the lived experiences and desires of community members. (Further information is coming soon on how you can share your views.) The final plan will be shared with the community and sent to Ontario’s Solicitor General prior to 2021.
Please contact a member of the Coordinating Committee for more information:
- Gwen Dombroski – Deputy Clerk; Madawaska Valley
- Tammy Gorgerat – Deputy CAO/Clerk- Treasurer; Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards
- Holly Hayes – CAO/Clerk-Treasurer; South Algonquin
- Suzanne Klatt – CAO/Clerk; Madawaska Valley
- Michelle Mantifel – Clerk/Treasurer; Brudenell, Lyndoch and Raglan
- Susan Sheridan – CAO/Clerk-Treasurer; Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards
- Meara Sullivan – CSWB Coordinator
Sullivan,M. (2019,Dec.24) Local Municipalities Collaborate on Community Safety and Well-being Planning [media release]