Sandy Hill residents recently received a survey in their mailboxes about public safety and transit. A link to the survey is available via text message. See the most recent ASH newsletter for info on how to take the survey. Councillor Plante’s office has more information about the survey:
- The survey is a requirement of an initiative by the Solicitor General of Ontario, which will support the allocation of $48 million in public safety funding over the next three years. This effort is being conducted in collaboration with the City of Ottawa and Ottawa Police Services (OPS).
- Is there a way I can complete the survey if I don’t have a smart phone? If you don’t have a smart phone, you can call 3-1-1. The agent will collect your phone number and Advanis will contact you to conduct the survey by telephone. Regarding the QR code, there is no general web link to the survey. The links are tied to unique phone
numbers so that residents cannot answer the survey more than once. - When is the deadline to complete the survey? The survey will close on February 3rd.
- Who was this survey sent to, and what does “oversampling” mean? A census methodology was used by sending postcard invitations to all households in K1N. The aim is to recruit at least 380 residents in this area. Oversampling is accounted for in data analysis to avoid bias in the overall results.
- What are the seven projects that were mentioned? What is the total funding? How will the funding be allocated? Please see the November 5th Memo to Council titled Ontario-Ottawa Agreement Funding Update for additional information on these projects. The Ontario Solicitor General and Treasury Board endorsed seven Public Safety initiatives that are rooted in evidence-based approaches and contemporary best practices, while enhancing community engagement and leveraging partnerships to address current safety issues in a holistic way. A total of $48 million in provincial funding has been allocated for this work with $16 million available annually over the three years. The initiatives include: (1) Transit Security: Enhancing safety measures across public transit systems to protect commuters and reduce transit-related crimes. (2) Downtown Safety Outreach Partnership: Collaborating with local businesses and community organizations to create a safer downtown environment. (3) Alternative Mental Health Supports: Providing specialized and non-police mental health crisis intervention services to support vulnerable populations. (4) An Alternative Staffing Strategy Encompassing Special Constables: Implementing a new staffing model to include special constables for more flexible and efficient resource allocation. (5) A Mounted Patrol Unit: Introducing Mounted Patrols to improve police visibility and community engagement in high-density areas. (6) Market Safe: A dedicated initiative to address the specific safety concerns of the ByWard Market, focusing on reducing crime and improving public confidence. (7) CORE (Community-Oriented Response and Engagement): A comprehensive approach to community policing that emphasizes proactive engagement and problemsolving strategies.
- Who ultimately decides how to allocate the funds? For the Downtown Safety Outreach Partnership and Alternative Mental Health Supports initiatives under CSSD’s purview, the delegated authority is with the General Manager of Community and Social Services Department.
- Where can I learn more? Call 3-1-1
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