Priority Areas of Focus

Desired outcomes:

• Reduction and prevention of harm and victimization (violent crime, property crime, illicit drugs);

• Improve the transition process between police and hospital staff;

• Maximization of Mental Health Engagement and Response Team resources; and

• Enhance the delivery of service to and interaction with the public. 

Strategies to support community safety:

• Continue to utilize and support the Sarnia Police and OPP’s Mobile Crisis Response efforts for mental health related calls for service;

• Continued use of residential and business assessments, particularly within rural communities as a proven strategy for reducing property related crime and victimization;

• Continue to offer fraud prevention initiatives, for residents and vulnerable populations (such as seniors);

• Continue to provide educational sessions with vulnerable persons and groups relating to cyber and financial crime;

• Increase officer training and exposure through CMHA and mental health nurses assigned to patrol with officers;

• Continued use of crime prevention strategies such as “Lock it or Lose it”; and

• Share information with the community regarding relevant incidents to both raise awareness and assist in solving crime. 

Desired outcomes:

• Increase and sustain supply and appropriate mix of affordable housing;

• Increase supports that meet people’s needs to achieve housing stability; and

• Eradicate homelessness 

Strategies to support housing and homelessness:

As this plan is all encompassing for housing and homelessness initiatives, it was identified that two of the four housing and homelessness goals will be incorporated into the CSWB Plan. The Community Safety and Well-Being Plan will work alongside the existing Housing and Homelessness Plan and will aim to address any gaps that are not already considered. As such, the Housing and Homelessness Priority will not include specific goals, strategic objectives or outcomes but rather will support those of existing initiatives.

Desired outcomes:

• Increase mental well-being through greater social connections and meaningful involvement;

• Enhance community and organizational capacity for mental health promotion and substance use prevention action;

• Reduce the stigma of problematic substance use and addictions;

• Increase access to problematic substance use and addiction services; and

• Coordinate intake and referral pathways and care delivery amongst community agencies, health care and the community policing and enforcement sector.

Strategies to support mental health and addictions:

• Lambton OPP and Sarnia Police will continue to provide mental health screening to assist officers responding to people experiencing a mental health crisis and support interactions with Mental Health professionals;

• Continue to advocate for withdrawal management programs and facilities;

• Continue to see community partners work together to implement the Working Together for Kids Mental Health Strategy to support better outcomes for children and youth with mental health needs;

• Identify opportunities to support the development of ACCESS Open Minds Sarnia-Lambton, mental health and addictions youth space for youth 11 to 25 years old and their families who are seeking fast access to education, assessments, counseling and treatment; and

• Lambton County’s Drug and Alcohol Strategy, currently in draft version, will lead community efforts according to the three identified pillars: Harm Reduction and Treatment, Demand Reduction and Supply Reduction. Many existing initiatives fall within these pillars that are focused on the strategic priorities of:

  • Communities that are safe, resilient and support healthy choices.
  • People who are compassionate and trauma informed.
  • Services that work for everyone.

Desired outcomes:

• Reduce the number of individuals and families living in poverty; and

• Increase food security for all those in Lambton County.

Strategies to support poverty:

• Identify information sharing opportunities regarding community resources and support available to those in need, for example since the start of COVID-19, an ongoing community resource has been developed highlighting categories of services for Basic Needs (Income, Shelter and Food), Food Banks, Transportation, Safety & Security, Employment Services, Mental Health & Wellness, Legal & Advocacy, Education and Literacy, General Websites & Information);

• Continue to support the sustainability and expansion of the Huron Shores Area Transit that links rural communities between Sarnia and Grand Bend;

• Identify opportunities to advanced rural connectivity (Internet access, transportation options);

• Identify opportunities for further community programming fostered around Circles® poverty reduction strategies: crisis management, life stabilization, increased education, job placement and job retention;

• Continue the operation of the Mobile Market; a small network of organizations addressing food insecurities for vulnerable individuals during the summer and fall season; and

• Continue to provide community training opportunities such as, Getting Ahead and Bridges out of Poverty, both of which analyze the impact of poverty. 

Desired outcomes:

• Increase awareness of and address racial discrimination issues;

• Increase awareness of the historical roots of racism and discrimination; and
• Increased public awareness of the barriers and challenges faced by racialized communities, religious minorities and Indigenous Peoples.

Strategies to support systemic racism:

• Expand the coordination and promotion of anti-racism, diversity, inclusion and anti-oppression related events, education and awareness;
• Collaborate with the Sarnia-Lambton Local Immigration Partnership Council to develop forums aimed to address anti-racism practices within organizations (e.g., hiring practices, training);
• Identify opportunities to support Indigenous specific programming, such as Red Path, a healing circle addressing the needs of living life without violence and addictions management and AKWE:GO (All of Us), a program that provides support to meet the immediate needs of the Indigenous child through client-based activities that focus on social support, health and physical development, institutional intervention;
• Continue and build upon anti-racism strategies within local school boards;
• To align with the Canadian Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination, the Sarnia-Lambton Anti-Racism, Diversity and Inclusion Committee is working to develop a framework for addressing racism and discrimination; and
• Support the Sarnia-Lambton Local Immigration Partnership in the development of a framework for being welcoming and inclusive that municipalities across Lambton County can implement.