New Community Safety and Well-Being Web Page.

The City of Prince Albert launched their Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) web page today at www.citypa.ca/cswb.  The Community Safety and Well-Being team is working to create solutions to community problems by improving collaboration, partnerships, and communication.  More than 20 organizations come together through the Community Solutions Forum to address issues like crime, substance abuse, mental health challenges, garbage accumulation, and homelessness.  Individuals who participate include community-based organizations, businesses, and community members.  The page identifies the initiatives underway in Prince Albert and how community members can get involved. It also aims to be transparent about the work and progress made.

Working together

City Council set this work in motion when they launched the Homelessness Action Initiative in the fall of 2021.  That project identified that social issues, including homelessness, are driven by individuals and families experiencing “chronic risk,” which refers to the ongoing likelihood of a person making future decisions based on previous experiences, e.g. history of substance abuse, violence, depression, etc.  

Effectively responding to chronic risk requires breaking down silos in conversations and work. Through the Community Safety and Wellbeing division, the City actively facilitates discussions, helps services align, identifies gaps, and coordinates with provincial and federal governments and Indigenous organizations.  

“We cannot do this work alone, but we can provide a leadership role,” said Anna Dinsdale, Community Safety and Well-Being Manager. “There are so many agencies doing important work in Prince Albert. We believe that aligning these agencies and mobilizing everyone to common goals can have a meaningful impact on crime and social issues.”

“We are all frustrated by the problems our community has been experiencing.  Many people don’t realize the breadth of work underway and think that The City has been ignoring these issues, which is untrue.  We hope this web page will improve communication, public awareness, and participation.” said Mayor Greg Dionne.

Current initiatives underway include:

Community Solutions Forum
The City is leading the Community Solutions Forum, which helps  social agencies, businesses and community members to work together to address issues using local resources. Members of the Forum include the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC), the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), Medical Health Officers, the Prince Albert Police Service and the Prince Albert Downtown Business Improvement District.

Action Tables
Issues are identified at the Community Solutions Forum, which kick-starts the creation of an ‘Action Team’.  Action Teams are a core group of individuals and organizations who can identify solutions and make them happen.  An example of this is the Discarded Needles Action Team, which includes the SHA, the Prince Albert Public Library, and downtown businesses.  Actions included creating a needle reporting form to accurately capture the number of needles being picked up across the community and feedback to target resources where there are needle hotspots.  

Complex Needs Shelter
The Mayor’s Office has written to multiple provincial ministries to request funding for a Complex Needs shelter to provide a safe, medically supervised place for people who are intoxicated and pose a danger to themselves or others, allowing them to stay for up to 24 hours.  This shelter will alleviate the strain on emergency services, especially police, paramedics, and the Victoria Hospital emergency department, which currently deals with these situations in our community. A complex needs shelter would improve the lives of those struggling with addictions and mental health issues, supporting their transition to stable housing while also ensuring public safety. 

“We have been told that Regina and Saskatoon received funding for complex needs shelters as a pilot.  But Prince Albert doesn’t have time to wait for the findings – we need these services now.  Our intention is not to ‘pass the buck’ to the province.  The City has already been actively bringing partners together and building momentum for change. We are very happy to play a leading role as a partner in establishing a complex shelter if Prince Albert receives the funding," said Councillor Blake Edwards

Permanent Emergency Shelter & Hub Table
The City is continuing to work with The Saskatchewan Housing Corporation and YWCA to find a location for a permanent emergency shelter. It has also been working to reestablish the Hub Table which is a team from various government ministries and community agencies who meet weekly to address specific situations involving individuals and/or families who have a significant probability of experiencing harm if they do not receive some type of intervention.

Community Investment Grants
Community investments have been made through grants to support youth and disrupt pathways to gang involvement.  Since October 2023, $175,637 has been provided to local agencies leading programs addressing these issues. This funding was made possible through the Public Safety Canada’s Building Safer Communities Funds.

“If you care about these issues, whether you are an individual, agency or business and have not been involved to date, make sure you reach out and engage in the discussion. We need to hear from you. We can address these issues, but we must be in it together, " added Dinsdale. 

How you can help

If you are a resident who wants to be part of the solution, you can join the Community Solutions Forum, learn more about the work, or share your ideas with us. Let us know if you are already part of a community group or organization doing a remarkable job.  We want to hear about it.

Report the locations of discarded needles through the Needle Pick-Up Form. Data gathered from forms like this would direct action and attention to the areas where it is most needed.

Register your outward-facing home cameras in the Safe Neighbourhood Camera registry. This initiative will soon be announced in collaboration with CSWB, Prince Albert Police, and the City of Prince Albert. (Link updated to correct URL)

To learn more, visit www.citypa.ca/cswb

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For more information, contact:

Anna Dinsdale
Community Safety and Well-Being Manager
306.953.4140