Safe & Inclusive Initiatives Presented by Mark Garner Downtown Yonge BIA Chief Operating Officer April 1, 2019

CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • Approach evolved over several years and various Attempts with both enforcement and outreach. • Strategy published in 2017 as a clear position statement. • Increasingly being used and adopted by other BIAs, e.g. in Guelph, Barrie and other City’s e.g. Winnipeg, Brantford • The core focus is that safety and inclusion are foundational to economic success as well as healthy communities… • …and the solutions will be found in partnership across police, stakeholders, outreach, and other players.

CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION Programs At-a-Glance

Order Name of program Start date

The Walkabout ❶ Started in Summer 2016 51 Division now includes 52 and 14 Division

Bi-monthly De-escalation Training ❷ Started in 2017 (included bi-monthly attendance tracking)

Community Engagement Team ❸ Started in August 2018 (includes monthly metrics) On-site Inreach for Private Properties Three-month pilot ran in Fall ❹ (includes monthly metrics) 2018 Annual Safe & Inclusive Surveys Winter 2018 ❺ (detailed data and metrics) Fall 2018

❻ Information resources, education and training Started Summer 2016

CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION Partnership with 51 Division, 52 Division, 14 Division and Elders, traditional helpers The and peer workers from Aboriginal Walkabout communities

CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION Uniformed officers, Elders & peer workers West, Summer 2016 CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION Uniformed officers and Elder Yonge & Dundas, Winter 2017 CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • Started in Summer 2016, with 51 Division’s Aboriginal Liaison Officer PC Mike Jeffrey and Andrew Wesley, a Cree Elder working with survivors of residential schools. • In 2016 and 2017, The Walkabout took place about twice a month and focused on the Yonge/Dundas, Trinity Square Park, Allen Gardens and Moss Park areas. • Summer and Winter Feasts are held annually in Allen Gardens at the Church of Key Points the Holy Trinity to build community and relationships. • DYBIA funded honoraria for participating Elders and peer workers. In 2018, TTC tokens were added to the honoraria. • In 2017, The Walkabout won two awards: the 2017 Mayor’s Community Safety Award and a Police Service Board Teamwork Commendation.

CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • The Toronto Police Services Board (TPSB) approved funding to expand The Walkabout in 14 and 52 Divisions, during 2018-2019. • The Walkabout in 52 Division got underway in 2018 with volunteers from not only Aboriginal but also Metis backgrounds. • Feasts were held in 51 and 52 Division; initial discussions started with 14 Division to identify Elders who might be willing to Key participate. • The entire cost of the program in 2018/2019 is $10,500. DYBIA contributes $4,000 and the Points…con’t TPSB has provided the balance of $6,500 to cover the expansion into the other downtown Divisions. • In 2018, The Walkabout also won an BIA Association Award and saw the officers involved winning Police Officer of the Month Awards.

CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION Partnership Safe & with Dr Doug Thomson, Humber Inclusive College Surveys

CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • While there are few direct victims of crime in Downtown Yonge, the fear of crime and victimization is high and increasing. • Fears are especially high in the evening and at night. • Fear is predominantly caused by unpredictable behaviours often linked to homelessness, aggressive or threatening panhandling, mental illness, open Key substance use and drug trafficking. • Managing social challenges is likely more effective than a strong, enforcement-only Findings approach. • If people choose not to visit the area because of perceptions that it is unsafe, the result can be fewer people positively activating the area – which makes the area feel even less unsafe. • Note that fear of crime is reported by fewer than 20% of respondents.

CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION Methodology • Survey designed and results analysed by Dr. Doug Thomson, Criminal Justice Program, School of Social & Community Services, Humber College • Two surveys in 2018: • Winter 2018 with N=1,181 • Fall 2018 with N=768 • Sample is accurate +/-2.8 points, 19 times out of 20.

CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION Which category best describes you? Fall 2018

Employee in Downtown Yonge

Student in Downtown Yonge

Resident in Downtown Yonge

Visitor in Downtown Yonge

Business Owner in Downtown Yonge

Property Owner in Downtown Yonge

CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% Perceptions of Safety in Downtown Yonge- Fall 2018

I feel unsafe because ...

Other 10%

Poor lighting People living on the street 6% 24%

Lack of police 6%

Feel unsafe at night 12%

Drug use/ users 20% Fear of crime 9%

People with mental illness CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION 13% Mental Health Partnership with the Canadian Recognition & Mental Health Association Response Training

CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • Mental Health Recognition & Response Training is presented in partnership with social worker Rebecca Higgins and the Canadian Mental Health Association. • Aimed at frontline workers in security, property management, social agencies, retail and reception. • The training is in response to increasing reports of individuals walking into businesses De- and showing signs of mental illness or substance use. • High demand for the program and requests escalation for “next-level” training. • In 2018: Training • Five (5) sessions held • 184 spots available and 191 RSVPs received • In 2019: • Six sessions scheduled • First session fully subscribed

CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION De-Escalation Training For retail, security, custodial and social agency staff CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION Partnership with Community Margaret’s Toronto Engagement Team (CET)

CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • Started in Summer 2018, with Margaret’s Toronto. • Designed to be a crisis intervention team providing an alternative to a police call in non-violent situations. • Initial ran for three (3) months during August – October, partially funded by one-off $25,000 grant from the City of Toronto’s BIA Innovation Fund. Hours Key Points were from 7am to 10:30pm. • DYBIA and Margaret’s have since funded the CET without any funding, requiring a reduction in hours, which are now form 11am to 7pm daily. • Total cost of the CET from August 2018 to April 2019 is approximately $175,000.

CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • The CET uses very clear definitions of encounters versus engagements, and has a clear protocol for triaging individuals they work with on the street. • Not only does the CET work directly with streetfront businesses, they also partner with uniformed police officers to undertake street Key outreach several times a month – both with The Walkabout and with Points…2 the Neighbourhood Officers. • In December 2018, the CET responded to almost 50 calls from streetfront businesses in Downtown Yonge, with an average response time of seven (7) minutes or less.

CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION On-site Partnership with 10 Dundas East and CF Inreach for Private Properties

CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION Onsite Inreach for Private Properties CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION • Three (3) month pilot with CF Toronto Eaton Centre and 10 Dundas East: September- November 2018 • An alternative to a security intervention • Funded by the properties and the DYBIA equally Key Points • Monday to Friday, three different shift times (6:30am- 2:30pm/10:30am- 6:30pm/2:30pm-10:30pm) • Peak engagement hours: 11am to 8pm

CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION Partnerships with Toronto Police Services, Information Ryerson University Resources

CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION Resources provided FREE to the Downtown Yonge Community

Downtown Toronto Drop-In Resource Booklets • Over 17,000 booklets have been handed Key Points out since 2016 (that’s hard copies only) How to report crime infographic • Over 10,000 infographics handed out since 2016 Personal Safety Workshop (new in 2019) • First one already at full capacity for Friday March 1, 2019

CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION How to Report a Crime Infographic CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION Drop-In Resource CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION