People across Windsor-Essex are being asked to help shape the first regional community safety and well-being plan.
A series of virtual town hall meetings have been scheduled over the next three weeks to gather input for the provincially-mandated plan, something every community in Ontario is working on.
Organizers will gather input on residents' priorities and concerns across a number of topics, including financial security, mental and physical health, education, crime, housing, and other factors that impact their community's safety and well-being.
Leonardo Gil is the Project Manager for the Windsor-Essex Regional Community Safety and Well-Being Plan.
He says the goal is to hear from residents in each community to understand their community safety and well-being concerns.
"Resident voices are really critical to developing that plan so that it aligns with the best interests of all residents and really reflects the unique needs of each of these municipalities," says Gil.
He says today's social issues are complex and they need collaborative responses.
"Not just about specific crimes per say, but there are ripple effects," he says. "We're hoping to have more information about some of the challenges in different fields like financial security, different elements of housing. All of those pieces are important for us have a better understanding of community safety and well-being as a community."
Gil says all of the information they collect will help them narrow down the scope of some the strategic priorities they want to focus on.
"We're wanting to make it so it is adaptable and we can build upon it over time," he says. "So as a starting point, this feedback will really help us develop those first initial strategic priorities. It will also help us develop recommendations to address issues within those priorities."
Meetings will take place over Zoom until March 11 in each municipality across Windsor-Essex.
The first session runs this evening in the Town of Amherstburg from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The schedule of future meetings includes:
Town of Tecumseh - Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021 - 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Town of LaSalle - Tuesday, March 2, 2021 - 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Municipality of Lakeshore - Thursday, March 4, 2021 - 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
City of Windsor Consultation 2 - Saturday, March 6, 2021 - 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Town of Essex - Monday, March 8, 2021 - 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Town of Kingsville - Wednesday, March 10, 2021 - 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Municipality of Leamington - Thursday, March 11, 2021 - 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Residents can register for their local virtual public meetings at Eventbrite.
There is also a public survey open for members of the public to provide their input. Residents are invited to visit the project's website and take the survey in English, French, Spanish or Arabic, open until Monday, March 15, 2021.
CLICK HERE for more information on the Windsor Essex Regional Community Safety and Well-Being Plan or contact 311.
With files from Rob Hindi