Meaford Council Chambers. Photo by Claire McCormack
Meaford’s Committee of the Whole has received an update on the municipality’s Well-Being Plan.
During a meeting on Nov. 7, council received a report by Clerk and Director of Community Services Matt Smith.
The report detailed the progress made on the plan’s action items from between 2021 and 2025.
Since the adoption of the plan in September 2021, the municipality has completed seven of the 30 action items featured in the plan.
The action items in the plan has six areas of focus, foundations of well-being, mental health and addictions, poverty and income, crime prevention, support and programs for youth, and support and programs for seniors.
To date, the action items completed include establishing a well-being advisory committee, which advises council on matters related to community safety, health and well-being.
The municipality has also enhanced its multi-year accessibility plan while considering well-being, promoting well-being programs through the redevelopment of the community bursary program, including a section for the considering of community well-being in staff reports to council, and releasing an annual well-being survey.
Meaford also established municipal representation at the Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force, which makes sure Meaford is aware of and can participate in regional initiatives. The municipality has also completed a property tax forgiveness program.
“In addition to the completed action items, significant work to advance other action items is underway. Ongoing project work to be completed in 2022 includes dissemination of the annual well-being survey (presently underway), development of a well-being website, and creation of a 211 promotional campaign,” says the report.
The entire well-being budget was being funded from the Policing Reserve in 2022.