Campaign highlight:

May Be Me campaign


Resource highlights:

Not Your Baby iPhone app

challengesexualviolence.org

OWJN

Family Law Education for Women

RePlay/ReJouer


Program highlights:

ReAct

THRIVE Coalition

Community Safety Program

Achievements

Projects

Tower Renewal Project

Tower Renewal Project

Through the Tower Renewal Project, high-rise buildings are being retrofitted to promote energy efficiency and strong community. Over 100 adult and youth residents in 4 neighbourhoods were trained to conduct METRAC’s Community Safety Audit in their buildings and surrounding areas. Neighbourhood Safety Report Cards will be created from audit findings to support resident safety action plans.

Pushed (back) into the Closet Project

Pushed (back) into the Closet Project

Funded by Community One Foundation, this project assessed public safety needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, intersex, queer, questioning, and two-spirited (LGBTTIQQ2S) women and trans communities. It was carried out in partnership with 519 Church Street Community Centre’s Anti-Violence Program.

Pushed (Back) Into the Closet research findings: PDF (415 KB)

Girls for Safer Communities Project

Girls for Safer Communities Project

Girl Guides of Canada-Guides du Canada received funding from Status of Women Canada to partner with METRAC and launch Girls for Safer Communities. The project focuses on leadership, community involvement and safety for girls and women. Community Safety Audits for girls will be developed and Pathfinders and Rangers will be trained to lead younger girls in conducting their own audits.

Press release about Girls for Safer Communities: PDF (27 KB)

Community Safety Audits

METRAC’s Community Safety Audit is a tool to help people assess the safety of spaces they use. It has been utilized to assess neighbourhoods, housing units, apartment buildings, parks, parking lots and garages. It is based on perspectives of people who live, work and play in an area and on the fact that they are safety experts of the area. It recognizes that women and other vulnerable groups most often feel unsafe and it helps people to come up with safety-enhancing ideas. The Community Safety Audit creates an opportunity for women and other individuals to share their experiences; helps people talk about their concerns and ideas for reducing violence; and considers how violence affects people based on their identities.

Steps in a Community Safety Audit

  1. Attend a METRAC Safety Audit Training Session. Check the upcoming page to find out when our next Safety Audit training will be or book a training session for members of your community. Everyone who attends a training will get a Community Safety Audit Kit.
  2. Organize a Safety Audit group in your neighbourhood to do an audit.
  3. Choose a date, place and time for the audit.
  4. Conduct the Safety Audit in your neighbourhood. Conduct it after dark to identify lighting problems.
  5. Collect and send Safety Audit results to METRAC. We will create a Neighbourhood Safety Report Card based on the findings, which includes information on follow-up and action.
  6. Discuss Neighbourhood Safety Report Card results with your group and implement a plan of action based upon it.

METRAC’s Community Safety Audit Kit is available in multiple languages (English, simplified Chinese, French, Punjabi, Spanish, and Tamil). Order it from the resources page.

Community Safety Audit information sheet: PDF (212 KB)
Why Safety for Women and Marginalized Groups?: PDF (138 KB)
Audit Follow-Up fact sheet: PDF (113 KB)

Contact: 416-397-0258 | assistant@metrac.org

Community Safety Audit Training

Request a Safety Audit training or safety presenter

We provide trainings to raise awareness about safety, teach how to conduct audits and build the safety capacity of individuals and communities. Content is tailored to the needs of participants. We incorporate equity and inclusion practices into trainings. We also provide speakers for presentations and conferences.

In an analysis of feedback from 69 training participants in 2008, the following outcomes were found. On a scale of 1-10, 93% of participants rated the training session 7 or higher. The average rating was 8.28 and the median value was 8. Of participants who answered the question, “Do you feel prepared to conduct an audit?", 94% said "yes" or "somewhat".

Neighbourhood Safety Report Cards

Neighbourhood Safety Report Cards have been developed from the results of Community Safety Audits conducted in the City of Toronto.


View METRAC's Community Safety Audits in a larger map

Institutional Safety Audits

Campus Safety Audits | Organizational and workplace Safety Audits

For over 15 years, METRAC has worked to build safety in neighbourhoods, workplaces, institutions, building sites and campuses. We examine all levels of a space – the physical and social environment, policies and practices, services and resources – and create recommendations to improve safety. Input of space users is integral, and we incorporate perspectives of women and other vulnerable groups. We are pleased to work with partners to tailor services to meet their needs.

Audits processes incorporate background research and fact-finding, a policy and practice review, training, audit “walkabouts” and development of safety recommendations. Our institutional audits incorporate an analysis of current best practices and relevant legislation such as Bill 168 on workplace violence and harassment.

Contact: 416-392-3137 | safety@metrac.org

Campus Safety Audits

METRAC has conducted Safety Audits on many campuses across Canada, including Centennial College; Queen’s University;St. Thomas University; University of Guelph; University of New Brunswick; University of Toronto; Women’s College Hospital (Toronto); WoodGreen Community Centre; and York University. Campus audits integrate the feedback, needs, concerns and ideas of diverse campus space users and stakeholders, such as students, staff, educators and administrators.

Campus Safety Audit Services package: PDF (418 KB)

Organizational and workplace Safety Audits

METRAC has conducted Safety Audits with many workplaces and organizations, including Mount Sinai Hospital (Toronto); New York Transit; Prisoners HIV/AIDS Support Action Network; Royal Bank of Canada; Talisker Corporation; Toronto General Hospital; Toronto Transit Commission; Women’s College Hospital (Toronto); and WoodGreen Community Centre.