Updated Community Safety and Well-being Plan

A path to a safer Oxford County, built on partnership, prevention and coordinated action

Oxford County has released the finalized Safe and Well Oxford Plan, that reflects a shared commitment by local municipalities and community partners to improve safety and well-being.

The updated plan builds on the original 2021 plan and reflects new community input, emerging local needs and lessons learned over the past four years. It identifies the priority risks affecting safety and well-being in Oxford and outlines shared strategies to address them through partnership, prevention and coordinated action.

The plan identifies six priority risks for coordinated action:

• Mental health and well-being
• Housing
• People and belonging
• Substance use
• Gender-based violence
• Affordability

By focusing on prevention, collaboration and lived experience, Safe and Well Oxford is intended to guide local action and support better outcomes for residents across the County.

Community safety and well-being plans are required under Ontario’s Community Safety and Policing Act. Every municipality in Ontario that provides police services must have a community safety and well-being plan.

Safe and Well Oxford is the shared response of seven Oxford municipalities to meet this requirement. The planning process brings together local partners from sectors such as health, social services, education, housing and policing to address local risks through coordinated, multi-sector action.

Municipalities must review and, if needed, update their community safety and well-being plan every four years. Oxford’s municipalities began updating Safe and Well Oxford in spring 2025. The updated plan was adopted by seven area municipal councils and approved by Oxford County Council in early 2026. 

Comment 

Marcus Ryan, Warden, Oxford County and Chair of the Safe and Well Oxford Steering Committee

“Community safety and well-being is something we build together by listening to residents, working across sectors, and focusing on collective action that helps people access what they need to live fully. The updated Safe and Well Oxford Plan gives our municipalities and community partners a shared path forward to address the risks that matter most to people in Oxford, from mental health and housing to belonging, substance use, gender-based violence, and affordability. By coordinating our efforts and keeping lived experience at the centre, we can help create safe, inclusive, and more supportive communities across Oxford County.”