Summary

• The City of Kelowna has received a $100,000 grant to train new partners and build capacity for its Safe Community Situation Table
• The City of Kelowna’s Safe Community Situation Table has been operating since February 2019
• Situation tables are community centred, with front-line workers connecting vulnerable people with preventative supports

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The successful Safe Community Situation Table in Kelowna is building capacity to address complex social challenges by delivering faster access to services for people at high risk of harm, victimization or committing crime to survive.

“Situation tables support safe communities, ensuring police and front-line responders can access improved co-ordinated services for people in crisis or at risk due to mental health, addiction, brain injuries or other complex needs,” said Nina Krieger, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “Public safety challenges are best addressed through a collaborative, co-ordinated and community-based approach, and the situation table in Kelowna has demonstrated strong benefits in the community.”

The Province is providing $100,000 to support training and capacity-building, to ensure the long-term success of Kelowna’s Safe Community Situation Table.

The Kelowna situation table, known as the Kelowna Outreach and Support Table (KOaST), launched in February 2019, and is comprised of 16 community partners and agencies, from the health, law enforcement, education, human services and non-profit sectors. The partners meet weekly to address issues pertaining to their community, such as mental health and addictions, homelessness, poverty, violent repeat offending and survival crime.

Investing in public safety

Situation Table activity since its inception highlights the complexity of client needs, as reflected in the following outcomes:

• A total of 193 discussions about at-risk individuals or families have occurred, with eight in 2025.
• The most common risk factors for clients were mental health, anti-social behaviour and emotional violence.
• Almost all situation table interventions led to a client’s risk being lowered.
• On average, clients had eight risk factors and around two agencies were involved per intervention. 

“Public safety is a top priority for our council, and this investment strengthens a model that is already making a meaningful difference in Kelowna,” said Tom Dyas, mayor of Kelowna. “The Kelowna Outreach and Support Table brings together front-line partners to identify risk early and connect people with the supports they need before situations escalate. By working collaboratively, we are helping individuals get back on a better path, while building a safer community for everyone.”

Community-centred support

Safe Community Situation Tables provide a structured, collaborative approach to managing complex or urgent circumstances by bringing together key groups and using systematic processes to mitigate risk and develop action plans to respond more effectively and efficiently to the needs of each individual. Furthermore, aggregate data analysis helps policy-makers assess gaps and risks in their local communities.

The situation tables are considered a best practice for improving community safety and well-being by enabling community front-line workers to:

• proactively identify risks through real-time information sharing
• reduce long-term demand on emergency and police resources
• leverage and co-ordinate existing community assets and relationships between health supports, victim services and culturally safe support and services
• plan and deliver collaborative interventions before an incident occurs
• reduce increased risk in people’s lives

Quick Facts

• In February 2019, the City of Kelowna received a $50,000 grant from the Province to implement a Safe Community Situation Table.
• There are 56 funded situation tables and intervention circles in B.C., and 42 of are operational, while the other 14 are being implemented.
• Since 2018, more than $3.5 million has been provided in grant funding to B.C. regions and communities to facilitate local situation tables, Indigenous intervention circles and other related initiatives.

Learn More:

For more information about Safe Community Situation Tables, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/criminal-justice/policing-in-bc/collaborative-public-safety-program/situation-tables

For more information about ways the Province is making communities safer for everyone, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/safer-communities/