Introducing the Thompson Community Safety and Well-Being Plan
This release contains quotes from an original release by the Province of Manitoba. You can read the provincial release here: https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?item=52580&posted=2021-10-05
You can read the Thompson Safety and Well-Being Plan in its entirety here.
The Thompson Community Safety and Well-Being Plan is complete and officially available to the community, following an announcement from Justice Minister Cameron Friesen and Thompson Community Wellness and Safety Co-Chair Dee Chaboyer on October 5, 2021
The Thompson Safety and Well-Being Plan was created with the input of over 20 different community organizations, including government, Indigenous organizations, education, healthcare, social services and law enforcement. The plan brings them together to create a complete approach towards improving safety and a sense of community in Thompson, and create results that are greater than the sum of their parts.
It was also informed by the Thompson Community Safety Survey: over 2300 Thompsonites gave us their views on public safety in Thompson and their perspectives on solutions, making it one of the most widely-filled-out surveys in Thompson history. The surveys were supplemented with two community consultation sessions to gain a deeper individual understanding of the perspectives in the survey.
Our government is pleased to support the new Thompson Community Safety and Well-Being Plan (CSWB), which was developed with input from community members, Indigenous partners and stakeholders. This collaborative approach brings groups, agencies and organizations together to build a safer, stronger and more resilient community that reflects the priorities of the people who live and work here.
Manitoba Justice Minister Cameron Friesen
The strategy directly addresses issues around alcohol, youth crime and homelessness, as well as the underlying causes that enable them to exist, like our sense of community, our identity, our history and our built environment. The approaches are broken down into six main areas, and every area has a dedicated subcommittee to direct action and progress:
Integrated Alcohol Management - Integrating services, and support for people struggling with alcohol addiction;
Demand on Police Resources - Reducing police intervention surrounding non-criminal and low-risk social issues, such as intoxicated people, mental health checks, etc;
Community Inclusion, Systemic Inequities and Racism - Removing barriers and creating opportunities for community participation, creating stronger understanding among our community’s neighbours, visitors, and newcomers;
Housing and Homelessness - Improving housing security through a housing-first approach to homelessness, encouraging the development of affordable housing and transitional housing;
Youth-involved Crime and Harm - Reducing youth participation in crime, both as victims, perpetrators, and witnesses through programs that enrich families and create a sense of purpose and belonging;
Built Environment & Social Infrastructure - Creating safe opportunities for social connection through public spaces that encourage positive interaction and building relationships among community members.
“The Community Wellness and Public Safety Advisory Committee is pleased with the strides we have made and the path we have charted together to move the community forward. The past 18 months has been a time of development and growth, with many community leaders on our committee bringing a strong commitment to helping our community become a safe place to live, work, play and invest. The CSWB Plan incorporates the diverse mandates and missions of approximately 30 organizations, agencies, businesses, property owners and government representatives, all of whom have committed to represent a common and unified voice of Thompsonites who are the collective champions of a healthier and safer community.
It is clear we have work to do but, with the committed leadership, a well-informed plan to guide us, and the support of mayor and council we will make a difference for the residents of the proud and prosperous hub of the north.”
-Dee Chaboyer, Executive Director, Ma-Mow-We-Tak Friendship Centre, Co-chair, Thompson Wellness and Public Safety Advisory Committee
The strategy builds on initiatives that already exist in Thompson, identifying their strengths, the resources they need to operate at their best, and how the people delivering those initiatives can work together to close gaps and maximize their impact.
We’re incredibly grateful that we’ve had such strong support from our community in putting this plan together, including our advisory committee, our survey, and the consultations that followed. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but we have the right people at the table to get it done.
- Colleen Smook, Mayor of Thompson
You can read the Thompson Safety and Well-Being Plan in its entirety here.