City Council approved Kelowna’s first Community Safety Plan (CSP) this afternoon. The CSP is a five-year action plan focused on proactive actions to reduce risk, vulnerability and harm in our community. Through the engagement of local systems leaders, including First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), Kelowna RCMP, Interior Health, the Ministry of Children & Family Development, the Ministry of Social Development & Poverty Reduction, and School District #23, the CSP reflects a shared vision and collective commitment to actions that will improve community safety and sense of safety.
“Achieving our vision, an ideal state of a ‘community where all people are safe and feel safe’, is a complex, dynamic, multi-generational and multi-sectoral task,” said Stu Leatherdale, Divisional Director, Corporate & Protective Services and member of the CSP Steering Committee. “The Community Safety Plan is just one piece of the puzzle; it brings together key partners in new ways to help us move forward collectively with recommendations and actions to address some of our city’s biggest safety concerns. It also helps us better understand and explain the root causes behind crime.”
The Community Safety Plan will advance five key priorities:
- Crime Prevention, Intervention & Sense of Safety
- Domestic Violence & Intimate Partner Violence
- Housing & Homelessness
- Mental Health & Problematic Substance Use
- Racism & Discrimination
In addition to the five priorities are 15 recommendations and 30 action items. Read more online.
The 15-month development journey of the CSP included comprehensive research and engagement of approximately 100 people representing 30 organizations, 775 community members, City Council, national subject matter experts and others. The outcome of these efforts is an aspirational yet realistic plan that shifts how systems come together to assess and address community issues in our community.
“The First Nations Health Authority looks forward to continued work with the City of Kelowna on realizing the Kelowna Community Safety Plan,” said Sonia Isaac-Mann, Vice President, Community Health and Wellness, Programs and Services at FNHA. “This work is essential in ensuring that First Nations peoples living in Kelowna are safe and feel safe. The FNHA is committed to collaborating with partners to see the priorities in the plan achieved.”
“It has been my honour to work with our community to develop a plan that’s primary focus is to prevent crime and victimization and to increase community safety and individual well-being," said Kara Triance, Kelowna RCMP Superintendent. “When we work together to address social support, health responses and trauma prevention before individuals need risk intervention, we are truly strengthening our community and a sense of safety for all.”
As a next step, a Stewardship Team, including leaders from government, non-government organizations and the community, will be recruited and established to champion the CSP’s implementation.
To read the Community Safety Plan or to learn more, visit kelowna.ca/safetyplan. Sign up for Community Safety e-updates at kelowna.ca/notifications.
