The District of Muskoka has approved a new community safety and well-being plan that will help guide decision-making through 2030.
According to a report presented by Tina Kilbourne, Manager of Regional Strategic Initiatives, at the July 20 council meeting, the new plan focuses on prevention rather than response to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and long-term sustainability of safety and well-being services.
The report states the plan looks to develop and enhance social development, prevention, and risk intervention strategies to reduce the number of individuals, families, and communities requiring emergency incident responses.
To achieve that, staff said the new plan focuses on four shared priorities: housing and homelessness, mental health and addictions, access to services and supports, and a data-driven approach.
District staff said the housing and homelessness priority aims to strengthen coordinated pathways to housing and stability, helping identify people earlier, connect them with the right supports, and prevent chronic homelessness whenever possible.
The mental health and addiction priority aims to strengthen coordinated support for children, youth, and families by improving access to mental health services and addressing substance use concerns that affect their well-being.
With the access to services and supports priority, staff said the district aims to help people connect to the right supports closer to home by reducing barriers, creating trusted places to seek help, and building a stronger network of community support.
The data approach priority, officials said, focuses on improving how data is identified, accessed, and used by Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) partners to support planning, decision-making, and shared learning.
According to District staff, quarterly meetings of the CSWB Advisory Committee will begin in late 2026 and continue through 2027 and beyond.
Staff said they will report back to committee and council in late 2027 with updates on progress, key achievements, ongoing challenges, and any recommended changes to the strategic priorities or actions for 2028.
