What is the Neighbourhood Safety Program?
The Neighbourhood Safety Program works with community members and groups, civic administration, and other groups to conduct Risk Assessments, Safety Audits and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Reviews, based on the principles of CPTED.
**New**
Street Activity Baseline Study
This research project was commissioned by the City of Saskatoon to establish a base line study of street level activity in Saskatoon. The results of this study can be used to establish future programs needed to address the issues surrounding street activity that are experienced when there is significant growth in a city. This report details the results of the study. It provides a basis for future policy and program development, many of which likely spread across multiple levels of government.
The study included an on-line survey of Saskatoon residents (621) which matched the demographics of the city, a focus group and interviews with panhandlers, interviews with business owners/operators, intercept surveys with the public in the areas of concern, interviews with local social service providers, and research on what was happening in other municipalities in Canada and abroad.
Finally, this video (click here) was produced that includes a variety of “on the street” interviews and statistics from the report.
The Panhandling Task Force has used the information in this report to craft a number of recommendations for City Council.
Street Activity Baseline Study - Final Report
Street Activity Baseline Study - Appendix A
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Guidelines: An Illustrated Guide to Safer Development in Our Community
Safe Growth and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a collaborative, multi-faceted approach to reducing opportunities for crime, improving community perceptions of safety, and strengthening community bonds. CPTED emphasizes the relationship between the immediate physical environment and the social behaviour related to crime. CPTED principles stem from the observed phenomenon that certain "cues" in the physical environment can prompt or prevent undesireable or crime related behaviours. Thoughtful design features, effective use of space, and community involvement can lead to reduces opportunities for crime and a lessening of the fear of crime.
The City of Saskatoon has adopted and is applying the principles of CPTED, where appropriate, to ensure a process of safe growth in the city. The city has embedded safety as a fundamental value in the Official Community Plan (OCP) and identified a set of CPTED principles to achieve this. These principles are applied to most civic structures, facilities and developments.
This new guidebook provides site-planning design advice for seven major categories of urban development commonly found throughout Saskatoon and is based on Safe Growth and the adopted principles of CPTED. This guidebook is aimed at developers and builders of all levels to help ensure safe growth across Saskatoon.
What is CPTED?
CPTED is the reduction of the opportunity for crime to occur and the increase in perceptions of safety in an area through the modification of the built environment and the management of space. The concept applies to both small-scale developments, such as convenience stores, walkways, and parking lots, to large-scale developments, such as new town centers, schoolyards, urban parks, and neighbourhoods. It can also be applied within buildings and in the areas surrounding them. CPTED principles are evolving as a key strategy to addressing City initiated designs of neighbourhoods, parks, buildings, and structures before they are built to ensure that safety is considered throughout the design and construction process.
How is CPTED Applied in Saskatoon?
CPTED is a tool available to the City of Saskatoon that addresses crime prevention and citizens' perceptions of their safety in a holistic manner. Engaging residents, and other stakeholders, of the neighbourhood in safety related activities often leads to practical, effective, and sustainable solutions for safety related problems in neighbourhoods, parks and business districts. Through the Local Area Planning process and regular contact with other neighbourhoods, safety has been identified as a high priority. Neighbourhoods that have been involved include Pleasant Hill, Riversdale, King George, Sutherland, Caswell Hill, and Nutana.
In May 2008, City Council approved a Development Plan amendment that adds safety as a fundamental value in the City of Saskatoon’s Development Plan (Sec 2.1 clause f ) and embeds the principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) in a new section (3A.0). Formalizing safety as a “principle in building a community with a sustainable quality of life” in the City of Saskatoon Development Plan and adding the principles of CPTED as the tool to achieve this policy goal will ensure consistent, efficient, and effective application of CTPED within the community.
Neighbourhood Safety Resource Materials
Click on image to view the
Safety At Home Booklet:
Guidelines to help keep
your family, home and
community safe |
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Safety Audit Booklet:
Keeping your
neighbourhood safe |
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Click on image to view the
Porch Light Initiative Brochure:
Lights on dusk until dawn |
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Multiple Unit Properties:
Rear Lane and Yard Safety |
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Click on image to view the
A Guide to Improving Recessed
Doorways & Building Passageways |
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