Monday, October 28

8:30 am - 9:00 am - Coffee Hour and Registration Foyer

9:00 am - Welcome and Opening Remarks Theatre

9:15 am - Opening Plenary: Rooting our work in Truth and Reconciliation Theatre

Led by Brianna Bear, this session for all attendees will introduce the concepts of safety and wellbeing through a lens of truth and reconciliation. By understanding the depth, breadth, and power of truth, we can find reconciliation through the creation of community wellbeing.

10:00 am - Plenary - Introducing Victoria Theatre

Join Mayor Marianne Alto and guests to to discuss the City of Victoria’s recent Community Safety and Wellbeing plan, including an analysis of themes like community building, advocacy, and urban social service delivery. This session will discuss current trends, themes, and discourses around social disorder affecting cities, large and small, across the globe.

10:45 am - 11:15 am - Break

11:15 am - 12:15 pm - Feature Speaker/Keynote Address Theatre

12:15 pm - 1:15 pm - Lunch Saanich Room

1:15 pm - 2:45 pm - Panels

The size and scale of communities creates new challenges to safety, but also brings new opportunities for collaboration and innovation. Join leaders from local governments for a discussion of the impacts of safety challenges on small and rural communities.

Cities across the world are struggling with social disorder concerns, leading to increased questions about safety in downtown centres. Join urban leaders for this panel discussion about innovative and modern solutions to transform the way we view urban safety.

Data is the key to community safety wellbeing, and helps quantify problems we knew we had, while identifying unknown challenges. This panel will explore ways that data can be used for social sciences, strategies for collecting and maintaining data, and what data is necessary to build community safety and wellbeing policies.

Experts agree that poverty reduction is key to addressing security issues and declining social order. Join panel experts to discuss modern frameworks for a guaranteed livable income as a tool for poverty reduction, and how to balance existing economic concerns with the need to reduce poverty.

2:45 pm - 3:15pm - Break

3:15 pm - 4:45 pm - Plenary: Dissecting the Toxic Drug Crisis Theatre

The toxic drug crisis has had disastrous consequences for  communities across North America, and beyond. All aspects and networks in the community have felt the consequences of this crisis, and with over 2,500 lives lost in 2023, nearly everyone knows someone who has been affected. Across Canada, many different approaches have been taken to combat the toxic drug crisis, reduce deaths, and support vulnerable individuals. Recently, in BC, the provincial government attempted to implement a decriminalization pilot, which they rolled back earlier this year. This panel will bring together leaders in the toxic drug crisis field to discuss policy, consequences, and the next steps forward.

5:00pm - Walking Tour of Chinatown Chinatown, Fisgard Street

In anticipation of the Conference Banquet at Golden City restaurant, join local tour guides for a tour of the oldest Chinatown in Canada. This tour will highlight the history of Victoria’s Chinatown, while discussing approaches to equity and diversity through building a welcoming City for newcomers. Transportation from the Victoria Conference Centre is included.

Meet the tour bus in front of the Conference Center (Douglas Street Entrance), or meet the tour guide at the Gates of Harmonious Interest (Red Chinatown gates) on Fisgard Street, at Government Street. The tour will end at Golden City Restaurant.

6:00 pm - 8:15 pm - Banquet and Welcoming Reception Golden City Restaurant, 721 Fisgard Street

The banquet of the conference, taking place at Golden City Restaurant, is a chance to enjoy traditional and modern Chinese cuisine, while building upon participants’ understanding of community wellbeing.

The cost of dinner, as well as transportation to and from the Victoria Conference Centre is included. Meet the buses in front of the Conference Center (Douglas Street Entrance). After dinner, the buses will drop participants at the Conference Center.