Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan
On March 25, 2026 Regional Council approved Waterloo Region’s Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan 2026-2030
The CSWP 2026-2030 plan reflects four years of dedication from a wide variety of community partners across the Region.
The CSWP is intentionally designed as a living, evolving plan that takes a whole community approach and adapts to evolving priorities. Over the next four years, we will take an outcome focused, collaborative data informed approach to ensure the vision of the Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan is achieved together. Waterloo Region is a remarkable place to live, work, learn, and play, and our shared commitment to this work strengthens the wellbeing of everyone who calls this region home.
Stay tuned for an updated copy of the plan which will include visuals and highlights of the plan.
If you would like a printed copy of the 2026-2030 Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan please let us know at cswp@regionofwaterloo.ca
Our Priorities for Action
Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan partners are working together on community-identified priorities for collective action to improve safety and wellbeing for all. These priorities include:
-
Combatting Hate
-
Intimate Partner Violence, Gender Based Violence, and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ Persons
-
Mental Health and Addictions
-
Safe and Inclusive Spaces
-
Evolving new priorities, including Human Trafficking, Housing and Homelessness, Food Insecurity, Wellbeing Needs, Reducing Criminal Recidivism, Preventing Youth Violence, and more
Visit safeandwellwr.ca to learn more.
For more information, contact: cswp@regionofwaterloo.ca
Community Safety and Wellbeing Framework
The Waterloo Region Community Safety and Wellbeing Framework Building a safe and well community for all: A journey towards transformational change was approved by Regional Council on January 26, 2022. This framework has been a collaborative process to listen to the voices of many across our community, and to use these voices to create an inclusive framework for action and change.
This framework works in collaboration with the provincial mandated framework for planning, which prioritizes upstream, preventative approaches to community safety and wellbeing risks in local communities:
The diagram above shows the four layers of the provincially mandated Community Safety and Well-being Planning Framework. They include:
• Social Development - Address root causes of harm and increase wellbeing before risks before they develop
• Prevention - Act early to reduce risks before they escalate
• Risk Intervention - Support those who are in immediate or elevated risks that require coordinated help before becoming critical incidents or emergencies
• Incident Response - Respond to critical incidents and emergencies and ensure public safety
Upstream Fund
The Upstream and Community Capacity Building Funds shift power and resources to the community. These funds support community-led initiatives that align with the Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan (CSWP).
We All Belong Campaign
Belonging is an important part of community safety and wellbeing. The Region's We All Belong campaign was co-designed with community to amplify the importance of belonging, and to combat hate. The campaign invites people to consider how they can reduce hate and harm in the community, and to promote belonging so everyone can feel safe and well in Waterloo Region.
