OPENING REMARKS   9:00 to 9:05AM

Land Acknowledgement and Welcome

Andrew Scavarelli, Director, Ontario Works, County of Simcoe, and OMSSA Board Member

 PLENARY   9:05 to 10:45AM

From Partnerships to Meaningful Integration: Shaping the Future of Safety and Well-Being Across Ontario

Community safety and well-being (CSWB) is defined as, ‘the ideal state of a sustainable community where everyone is safe, has a sense of belonging, opportunities to participate and where individuals and families are able to meet their needs for education, health care, food, housing, income, social and cultural expression (Source: Community Safety and Well-Being Planning Framework). To achieve this state, it is important for a variety of stakeholders to come together to build an integrated approach. This session will bring together provincial staff, practitioners, policy analysts, police and experts to examine the importance of partnerships and coordinated service delivery to effectively address local priorities.

Areas of Focus: Partnerships; Multi-Sectoral Representation; Upstream Approaches; Roles and Responsibilities.

Presenters:

• (moderator) Felix Munger, Executive Director, Canadian Centre for Safer Communities
• Mark Dapat, Deputy Chief, Peel Regional Police
• Lindsay Jones, Director of Policy and Government Relations, Association of Municipalities of Ontario
• Michelina Longo, Director, External Relations Branch, Public Safety Division, Ministry of the Solicitor General
• Scott McKean, Associate Director, Violence Prevention and SafeTO, City of Toronto
• Ruth Noordegraaf, Director, Community Development, Wellbeing and IIDEA, City of Kingston
• David Smith, Chief Executive Officer, CMHA Peel Dufferin

 BREAKOUT SESSIONS   

11:05AM to 12:35PM

 A  What Comes After the Declaration? How Municipalities Can Address Intimate Partner Violence

Nearly 100 municipalities in Ontario have declared intimate partner violence/gender-based violence (IPV/GBV) to be an epidemic. These declarations bring IPV/GBV to the forefront, and with Bill 173 —the Intimate Partner Violence Epidemic Act, which has passed its second reading at Queen’s Park, there is hope that the province will begin to action the 86 jury recommendations from the Renfrew County Inquest. These recommendations outline a way to move forward with policies that will prevent IPV/GBV and provide support for victims and survivors.  

But what is the municipal role in this work? This session will unpack what comes after the declaration, including why this step should be taken, and how establishing meaningful community partnerships are essential to solving this problem. Panelists will include speakers from Lanark County—the first municipality in Ontario to declare IPV/GBV as an epidemic—among other experts, who will examine how to meaningfully address this crisis and why it should be a component of all community safety and well-being plans.  

Areas of Focus: Intimate Partner Violence; Gender Based Violence; Victim Advocate; Renfrew County Inquest; Public Education; Organizational Education.

Presenters:

• (moderator) Erin Lee, Executive Director, Lanark County Interval House & Community Support
• Pamela Cross, Feminist Lawyer
• Jon Dumond, Bureau Commander, Ontario Provincial Police
• Stephanie Gray, Coordinator, Lanark County Situation Table 
• Brianne Luckasavitch, Victim Advocate & Public Education Coordinator, Lanark County Interval House & Community Support 
• Margaret MacPherson, Research Associate, Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children, Western University
• Derek Needham, Ontario Provincial Police

Resources:

• Culleton, Kuzyk & Warmerdam (CKW) Inquest Advocacy Toolkit (Luke's Place) 
• Forty-four Percent: A Short History of Intimate Partner Violence (Luke's Place)

This breakout session is sponsored by the Regional Municipality of Durham

 B  The Impacts of ACEs: Experiences of Marginalization and Childhood Well-Being

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are defined as potentially traumatic experiences that occur during a child’s first 18 years of life (Source: Public Health Ontario). ACEs are traditionally classified under three broad categories: physical and emotional abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. However, researchers have also been exploring the idea of expanded ACES to include bullying, community violence, neighborhood safety, racism, and living in foster care. When ACEs are considered alongside the social determinants of health, it is evident that childhood trauma has a direct link with cyclical outcomes such as chronic disease, poor mental health, incarceration, and employment challenges, impacting the individual and future generations. It is crucial for social service and health care providers, educators, elected officials, parents and community members to understand how there is a shared responsibility, and opportunity, to promote positive childhood experiences that support healthy development, positive mental health, and resilience.

In this session we will hear from scholars and experts about why understanding ACEs are important for service system planning, building a sense of belonging, and community well-being. We will also hear specifically how Black and Indigenous youth are impacted by ACEs and how we can focus on supporting the mental health and wellness of marginalized and racialized youth in our CSWB plans. 

Areas of Focus: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES); Social Determinants of Health; Racialized and Marginalized Youth.

Presenters:

• (moderator) Naomi Weinroth, Manager, Child Care Services, Regional Municipality of York
• Melissa Booker, Researcher & Evaluator, Black Health Alliance
• Caroline Folkman, Manager, Toward Common Ground
• Elaine Toombs, Adjunt Professor, Lakehead University and Psychologist, Dillco Anishinabek Family Care

 C  Harm Reduction or Treatment? Navigating the Politics and Science of Substance Use in the Fentanyl Era

Since the start of 2024, three important reports have been published that can be used to help guide how OMSSA Members think about the relationship of their work to substance use in Ontario during a drug toxicity crisis. These reports by the Medical Officer of Health for Ontario, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police all recognize the need to set politics aside in favour of developing evidence-based approaches for addressing a issue detrimentally impacting communities. In their own ways, these reports each recognize how harm reduction (ie. education, safe-consumption, safer supply, overdose prevention, among others) and treatment (ie. providing pathways to care, medication-assisted treatment, among others) are not disparate approaches at opposing poles, but instead compatible efforts that should be combined to meet the needs of specific communities. Drawing on these reports, this panel will help to separate the politics from the evidence with the intention of supporting the work of social services providers.   

In this session, we will hear from drug policy experts from a variety of perspectives, including lived experience,  epidemiology, municipal policy, and police services. These speakers will help guide participants through the issues, while also providing insight into how an evidence-based approach to substance use in the fentanyl era can help them better understand the role of social services for people who use drugs.   

Areas of Focus: Substance Use; Opioids; Harm Reduction; Treatment; People Who Use Drugs

Resources:

• Harm Reduction and Treatment Glossary

Presenters:

• (moderator) Alicia Neufeld, Senior Manager, Policy Association of Municipalities of Ontario
• Tim Farquharson, Chief of Police, Port Hope Police Service
• Dr. Tara Gomes, Program Director, Ontario Drug Policy Research Network
• Dr. Andrea Sereda, Lead Physician, London InterCommunity Health Centre
• Ashley Smoke, President and co-founder of The Ontario Network of People Who Use Drugs

 OPENING REMARKS   9:00 to 9:05AM

Land Acknowledgement and Welcome

Andrew Scavarelli, Director, Ontario Works, County of Simcoe, and OMSSA Board Member

 PLENARY   9:05 to 10:45AM

Measuring, Monitoring, and Evaluating CSWB Outcomes in Urban and Rural Contexts

Many CSWB plans include some form of performance measures and indicators to assess programs and initiatives. Some programs have easily attainable quantitative and qualitative data to demonstrate if conditions are improving, which can offer strong cases for funding. However, there are other upstream initiatives that cannot be measured immediately because they relate to certain intangible aspects of health, vitality, and belonging. These outcomes can take sometimes take years or generations to physically see, and making the case for investment can be challenging.

In this session we will hear from experts in the rural and urban contexts who will share practical knowledge and tools to for measuring, monitoring, and evaluating both short-term and longitudinal initiatives that improve community safety and well-being. Experts and practitioners will also share a nuanced understanding of the complexities and challenges of data collection and how communities can leverage existing information to identify priorities and trends. 

Areas of Focus: Evaluation; Metrics; Indicators.

Presenters:

• (moderator) Kendra Habing, Decision Support Advisor - CSWB Human Services Planning & Program, Support Social & Community Services, Halton Region
• Melanie Bania, Director of Services, Evaluation, and Impact, Canadian Centre for Safer Communities
• Michaela Johnston, Chair, Community Safety and Well-Being for Huron Municipal Working Group
• Danielle Letang, Manager, Data Strategy, Rural Ontario Institute 
• Jazlyn O'Bonsawin, Project Coordinator, Canadian Centre for Safer Communities

 BREAKOUT SESSIONS   

11:05AM to 12:35PM

 D  Integrating Action Areas for Indigenous Women's Safety 

Across Ontario and Canada, Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people have faced, and continue to face, higher rates of violence, as reflected by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Almost six in ten (56%) Indigenous women have experienced physical assault while almost half (46%) of Indigenous women have experienced sexual assault. In comparison, about a third of non-Indigenous women have experienced physical assault (34%) or sexual assault (33%) in their lifetime. Additionally, more than six in ten (63%) Indigenous women have experienced physical or sexual violence committed by an intimate partner or a non-intimate partner in their lifetime, such as an acquaintance, colleague or stranger (Source: Statistics Canada). Indigenous women and girls are strong and resilient, despite the systemic, physical, and emotional violence that they have been subjected to and the multiple barriers they experience when seeking help.

With over 88% of Indigenous women and girls living off-reserve, and as municipalities work to meaningfully address the gender-based violence/intimate partner violence epidemic more broadly, it is crucial to include actions to specifically address violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people who also have a right to feel the same sense of belonging and well-being as other community members.  

In this session we will hear from experts from the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres, Ontario Native Women’s Association, and Métis Nation of Ontario. Collectively they will explore different measures of indigenous safety, the importance of collaboration and partnerships, and will provide practical guidance on what actions municipalities can include in their CSWB Plans.  

Areas of Focus: Violence Against Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People; MMIWG Calls for Justice; Indigenous Safety.  

Presenters:

• (moderator) Sarah Hamulecki, Manager of Strategic Initiatives & Intergovernmental Relations, CAO Office, County of Oxford
• Tina Bobinski, Senior Director of Community Development, Ontario Native Women's Association
• Niki Hashie, Justice Director, Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres
• Heidi Wheeler, Policy Analyst, Métis Nation of Ontario

 E  Proactive Intervention Through Meaningful Collaboration: How to Build, Strengthen, and Sustain Your Situation Tables 

Many municipalities in Ontario have learned that one of the most effective tools for community safety and well-being (CSWB) is a well-resourced and supported situation table. Situation tables enhance the work of CSWB by bringing together social services, public health, police and emergency services, and community organizations as a means of prioritizing proactive rather than reactive community interventions. By looking at the social origins of risk, they anticipate the supports required by people with acute needs and connect them to the services of table collaborators before more harmful incidences can occur.

In this session, four OMSSA members organizations—the City of Greater Sudbury, Bruce County, the City of Toronto, and York Region—will provide insights into the work that they have carried out to build their situation tables and will highlight the specific needs and risks that they address. The speakers will discuss the challenges they have overcome in order to sustain the work of their tables, from maintaining momentum and engagement amongst the collaborators to ensuring political and financial support.

Among the issues to be considered in this session are: How do you build effective partnerships and collaborations? How do you ensure buy-in from situation table partners? Are there benefits to having a dedicated champion for the table who can rally the partners and advocate for continued support? How do you effectively resource a situation table? What data should be highlighted to demonstrate both the need for and success of a situation table?

Areas of Focus: Situation Tables; Proactive Interventions; Children and Youth; Partnership Building; Privacy.

Presenters:

• (moderator) Jabari Lindsay, Director, Income and Social Supports, Regional Municipality of Peel
• Matthew Carrol, Supervisor, FOCUS/SPIDER - Community Risk Intervention Team, SafeTO
• Noah Clarke, Research and Policy Analyst, Regional Municipality of York
• Alexis Cook, Community Safety and Well-Being Planning Coordinator, County of Bruce
• Jenna Dolly, Program Manager, Community Development (A), Regional Municipality of York
• Cindy Junkala, Co-Ordinator of Shelters and Homelessness, City of Greater Sudbury

 F  Planet Youth: Northeastern Ontario's Upstream Approach to Reduce and Prevent Substance Use Among Youth

There are approximately 4 million young people between 10 and 29 years living in Ontario, representing 25.6% of the overall population (Source: Statistics Canada, 2023). This demographic is at a critical juncture of adolescence and young adulthood where they are coping with different social, economic, environmental, and societal pressures. It is during this period that many young people will experiment with substance use whether through curiosity, peer pressure, or to cope with abuse and other forms of trauma. Understanding this context and engaging youth to discern what factors are at play for substance use and can help to develop supportive interventions at the community level. These interventions can also help bring together sectors such as social services, education, and public health to implement coordinated policies and programs.

Planet Youth, a prevention approach gaining traction in Ontario, is working to achieve these outcomes. Also referred to as the Youth Substance Use Prevention Program, it is based on the Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM) which is recognized internationally for its collaborative approach to preventing substance use harms among youth. Developed by the Icelandic Centre for Social Research and Analysis (ICSRA), it applies a community-driven approach to influence the risk and protective factors associated with substance use.

In this session we will explore the collaborative approach taken by communities in Northeastern Ontario to launch Planet Youth. We will hear from public health, social services staff, and community safety and well-being practitioners to learn more about how this program takes an upstream approach to address substance use among youth, including fostering integration among health and social services, and providing key metrics to support data-driven community safety and wellbeing priorities.

Areas of Focus: Youth Intervention; Substance Use and Misuse; Integration; Data.

Presenters:

• (moderator) Meagan Baranyk, Community Programs Manager, City of Timmins
• Erika Aelterman, Public Health Promoter, Timiskaming Health Unit
• Alyssa Bedard, Community Development Coordinator, North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit
• Lynn Démoré-Pitre, Director of Children's Services, District of Nipissing (DSSAB)
• Michelle Glabb, Director of Employment and Social Services, District of Nipissing (DSSAB)
• Kaidan Hardy, Health Promoter, Porcupine Health Unit, Planet Youth Project Lead
• Brent Kalinowski, Community Safety and Well-Being Planner, City of North Bay
• Johanna Paradis, Community Services, Coordinator Town of Englehart