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HomeMy WebLinkAboutApril 9, 2026 Community Safety and Well-Being Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes Electronic Meeting April 09, 2026 - 07:00 PM Present: L. Appelbohm C. Bamford M. Kenworthy J. Larendowicz P. Patel C. Paxton A. Rizvi E. Knox, Community Safety and Well Being Advisor J. Currie, Legislative Coordinator Regrets: K. Hamilton D. Magagna A. Muhammad M. Eskins, DARS Inc. J. Kamalanathan, Durham Region Councillor S. Butt Land Acknowledgement E. Knox read the Indigenous Land Acknowledgment Statement. Review and Approval of Agenda Moved By L. Appelbohm That the agenda for the April 9, 2026, Community Safety and Well Being Advisory Committee Meeting be approved. 1. 2. 1 Carried Disclosure of Interest No disclosures of interest were noted. Approval of Minutes February 12, 2026, Meeting Minutes Moved By C. Bamford Moved by That the Minutes of the February 12, 2026, Meeting of the Community Safety & Well Being Advisory Committee be approved. Carried Delegations/Presentations There were no delegations. Shauna Tawadrous, City of Pickering, Supervisor, Public Affairs & Corporate Communications Digital Transformation Journey S. Tawadrous appeared before the Committee and, with the aid of a PowerPoint presentation, provided a brief overview of the City of Pickering's new Online Service Portal Project, noting that the initiative was guided by the City’s 2024 Digital Strategy. S. Tawadrous advised that the portal was intended to complement existing in-person and telephone services and highlighted that the project was being developed with input from staff and through ongoing public engagement. S. Tawadrous invited the Committee to provide feedback through an online survey, found at https://letstalkpickering.ca/digital, noting that feedback opportunities would be ongoing throughout spring 2026. A brief discussion between Committee Members and S. Tawadrous ensued regarding: concern that confidentiality would be compromised and that sensitive information could be shared between departments; • 3. 4. 4.1 5. 5.1 Community Safety and Well-Being Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes April 09, 2026 2 whether ticket numbers would be provided for submissions by the public that they could follow for updates; • whether the portal would include the capability to search for specific services;• whether events and programs would be streamlined to provide a single location for information and sign-ups; and, • whether there was an example municipality that the City of Pickering could emulate. • New Business Homelessness Subcommittee Updates C. Paxton, Sub-committee Chair, advised that the Community Safety and Well- Being Advisory Committee (CSWBAC) had endorsed three events; Whiskers & Wellness, a Pickering World Homeless Day event, and the This is Home Documentary screening. C. Paxton noted that further details regarding these events would be provided at the June Committee Meeting. E. Knox provided that the Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser was well attended and that introductory remarks were made by Mayor Kevin Ashe. E. Knox noted that the City had raised $1358, with four City Staff participating in the walk and three Committee Members in attendance. Training and Education E. Knox provided that the Community Services Department had inquired about training sessions for summer camp councillors regarding housing insecurity. E. Knox highlighted the opportunity to increase youth awareness of systemic issues that may lead to homelessness. E. Knox summarized internal training sessions, provided by the 24-hour Street Outreach team, to ensure employees were aware of available resources and felt more confident in their interactions with the public, dates for upcoming sessions would be shared once confirmed. E. Knox further noted that an internal cross-departmental working group was exploring training related to neurodivergence, with the intention of rolling out new formats of staff training. E. Knox advised that professional de-escalation training opportunities were also available, and Members were encouraged to reach out regarding available spots. Events and Programs 6. 6.1 6.2 6.3 Community Safety and Well-Being Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes April 09, 2026 3 E. Knox advised that the Durham Regional Police Services recent Theft Prevention Tips program and the Dementia Education Seminar were both well attended. E. Knox further noted that three upcoming programs were posted on the Community Safety and Well-Being webpage, including a session hosted by the Durham Elder Abuse Network, a session featuring the 24-Hour Outreach Team for the public, and a safety, self-defense, and walking-home program. Committee Members noted that the Spring Fling event was scheduled for the upcoming weekend and that a Steps for Life walk would take place on Sunday,  May 3. Durham Region Community Safety and Well-Being Updates Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) Plan 2025-2029 J. Kamalanathan, Durham Region Community Safety and Well-Being Policy Advisory did not appear before the Committee to provide an update. This item was deferred to the June Committee Meeting. Other Business C. Bamford invited Committee Members to attend the April 23, 2026 Fairport Beach Neighbourhood Association (FBNA) meeting where Fire Department representatives would provide a brief presentation on Fire Safety. • C. Bamford advised that the St. Paul's Food Bank, in partnership with Durham Regional Police Services (DRPS), would be holding a “Cram-a-Cruiser” event to collect donations. C. Bamford invited Committee Members to volunteer for the event. • L. Appelbohm noted ongoing community clean-up activities, including Earth Day initiatives and 20-minute clean-ups. • Next Meeting - June 11, 2026 Adjournment Moved By J. Larendowicz That the meeting be adjourned. Carried The meeting adjourned at 801 p.m. 6.4 7. 8. 9. Community Safety and Well-Being Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes April 09, 2026 4