Community Safety and Well-Being Advisory Committee

Minutes

Meeting #:
8
Date:
Time:
-
Location:
Champlain Room, 110 Laurier Avenue West, and by electronic participation
Present:
  • Claire Kendall (Chair), 
  • Marc Bertrand (Vice-Chair), 
  • Monica Armstrong, 
  • Trevor Arnason, 
  • Brianna Dusome, 
  • Salim Fakirani, 
  • Clara Freire, 
  • Meseret Haileyesus, 
  • Kevin McHale, 
  • Kelly Raymond, 
  • John Strickland, 
  • and Eric Stubbs 
Absent:
  • Mason Flatla 
Present non-voting Members:
  • Councillor David Hill 
  • and Councillor Rawlson King 

1.
Notices and meeting information for meeting participants and the public

This item has attachments. 
1.Public Notices French - AC Hybrid.pdf
2.Public Notices English - AC Hybrid.pdf

Members of Committee and Council, City staff, media and the general public may join the meeting with this link:


Zoom webinar ID: 840 7882 8846


Those who require a telephone number to call into the Zoom meeting may contact the committee coordinator.


Notices and meeting information are attached to the agenda and minutes, including: availability of simultaneous interpretation and accessibility accommodations; personal information disclaimer for correspondents and public speakers; notices regarding minutes; and remote participation details.


Accessible formats and communication supports are available, upon request.


The deadline to register to speak by phone or email, or submit written comments or visual presentations is 2 pm on the day of the meeting. Note that Committee Members have expressed interest in receiving written submissions as early as possible, and at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting to allow time to review prior to the meeting.


City Hall is closed after 5 pm. Members of the public who wish to join the meeting in person after this time are asked to use the intercom at either of the main entrances of the main City Hall building (Laurier Avenue West or Lisgar Street entrances) to request access.

2.
Declarations of Interest

 

No Declarations of Interest were filed.

3.
Confirmation of Minutes

 

4.
Committee Items

 

4.1
Confirmation of the 2026 Meeting Schedule

This item has attachments. 
1.2026 CSWBAC meeting schedule.pdf

  • Recommendation

    That the Community Safety and Well-Being Advisory Committee confirm the 2026 meeting schedule.

    Carried

5.
Community and Social Services Department

 

5.1
Update – Gender-Based Violence and Violence Against Women Priority and Three-Year Plan

 

City staff Sarah Taylor, Director, Community Safety, Well-Being, Policy, and Analytics, and Sawsan Al-Refaei, Manager, Strategic Projects, as well as Astara Van der Jagt (Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women), presented an overview of the item and answered questions from the Committee. A copy of the slide presentation is filed with the Office of the City Clerk.

Jeffrey Bradley spoke before Committee and provided comments on the item. A copy of his speaking notes are on file with the City Clerk.

Committee discussion on this item included the following topics:

  • The impact of the definition of economic security within the Three-Year-Plan, and the role of prevention (not only crisis intervention)
  • How funding can be leveraged strategically to help women in poverty or financial hardship, and integrating the poverty lens in the Three-Year-Plan
  • The Province of Ontario’s role in funding and research, and advocacy for funding from other levels of government
  • Engaging various organizations who play a role in preventing gender-based violence
  • Policing of gender-based violence and human trafficking
  • Supports and trauma-informed supports for children who witness gender-based violence in their homes
  • Where action plans are being developed, including for the gender-based violence priorities, matching indicators will be created  
  • The importance of coordination of integrated services in addition to funding

Committee suggested the following ACTIONS:

  • Consider the Ottawa Stops Hate Together campaign when the action plan is being developed, including how to break down barriers to reporting
  • Consider consulting the Advisory Committee on action plan indicators as they are developed
  • Consider the emerging themes across the Community Safety and Well-being Plan priorities, such as data and integration

Following discussions, the Committee considered the item recommendation as follows:

  • Recommendation

    That the Community Safety and Well-Being Advisory Committee receive the update and provide feedback as appropriate.

    Received

5.2
Update – Tax Clinic Project

 

City staff Sarah Taylor, Director, Community Safety, Well-Being, Policy, and Analytics, and Sawsan Al-Refaei, Manager, Strategic Projects, as well as Marc d'Orgeville (centre EBO & Financial Security Pillar Working Group chair), presented an overview of the item and answered questions from the Committee.  A copy of the slide presentation is filed with the Office of the City Clerk.

There were no public submissions on this item.

Committee discussion on this item included the following topics:

  • How identification information when filing tax returns may put some vulnerable women at risk, and strategies to address this
  • Accessibility concerns regarding the Canada Revenue Agency website, and how community organizations may assist with overcoming such barriers
  • The importance of advertising tax clinics to support low-income residents in obtaining benefits from filing tax returns

Following discussions, the Committee considered the item recommendation as follows:

  • Recommendation

    That the Community Safety and Well-Being Advisory Committee receive the update and provide feedback as appropriate.

    Received

5.3
Update – Community Safety and Well-being Plan Refresh

 

Sarah Taylor, Director, Community Safety, Well-Being, Policy, and Analytics, and Sarah Mullen, Program Manager, Social Development, presented an overview of the item and answered questions from the Committee.  A copy of the slide presentation is filed with the Office of the City Clerk.

The following members of the public spoke before Committee and provided comments on the item:

  • Robin Browne (613/819 Black Hub)
  • Beth Tooley (Ottawa Coalition of Community Houses) – slides on file
  • Tommeson Toussaint (Banff Ave Community House), Amina Atillah (Britannia Woods Community House), Wilguet Francois (Confederation Court Community House) – slides on file
  • Fatima Andad (Community Development Framework) – slides on file

Committee discussion on this item included the following topics:

  • A brief overview of follow-up taken on action items from the previous meeting 
  • The role of youth community coordinator positions and youth council within Ottawa Coalition of Community Houses organisations
  • Reflecting the “safety” component in the Community Safety and Well-being Plan
  • Developing performance measurement framework
  • The importance of primary care when considering integration of services, including in the context of the new Primary Care Retention and Recruitment Strategy

The following ACTIONS were discussed:

  • City staff advised of the intent that they would, to the extent feasible, provide updates on “actions” that arose at previous meetings 
  • Committee suggested that staff consider involving youth voices and youth leaders as part of developing the performance measurement framework

Following discussions, the Committee considered the item recommendation as follows:

  • Recommendation

    That the Community Safety and Well-Being Advisory Committee receive the update and provide feedback as appropriate.

    Received

6.
Notices of Motions (For Consideration at Subsequent Meeting)

 

There were no Notices of Motion.

7.
Inquiries

 

There were no Inquiries.

8.
Other Business

 

There was no other business.

9.
Adjournment

 

Next Meeting: February 3, 2026

The meeting adjourned at 6:10 pm.

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