The Ontario Association of Interval & Transition Houses, along with The University of Guelph published research findings on which Ontario municipalities that have a CSWB Plan, have incorporated GBV/IPV into their plan and what does the structure and process of their plan look like

What is a CSWB Plan?

Under Section 248 of Ontario’s Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, every municipality must develop and adopt a Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) Plan in collaboration with the public, local community organizations, and a multi-sectoral advisory committee representing police services and local service providers. This plan is legally required to identify key community risk factors, outline proactive strategies to reduce those risks, and establish measurable outcomes to track long-term progress and safety.

Snapshot of Results:

• Only 1.1% of municipal plans mention “femicide,” erasing the specific nature of lethal violence against women.
• Four out of the five Ontario municipalities with the highest IPV rates fail to include a dedicated GBV pillar.
• Half of the plans addressing violence focus reactively on emergency crisis response.
• Only 50% of plans addressing violence use a proactive framework that targets root systemic issues like power imbalances and gender inequality.
• Over half of municipal plans document no involvement from local Violence Against Women (VAW) or GBV sector experts.
• CSWB Plan Research Report