Chatham-Kent council will vote Monday on whether to join an initiative aimed at making the municipality a more welcoming place to live.
Last month, Chatham-Kent was selected as one of the ten pilot communities for Project Upstream, led by the Canadian Centre for Safer Communities and funded by Public Safety Canada. The project would run from September 2025 until March 2027, helping local officials develop proactive, community-based strategies to counter hate, social polarization, and violent extremism.
In a report to council, Community Safety and Well-Being Coordinator Erin McEachran noted that although Chatham-Kent was named Canada’s first Welcoming Community in 2016, challenges remain. A 2024 survey by the Chatham-Kent Local Immigration Partnership found that more than 25 percent of respondents had experienced discrimination or unfair treatment locally.
Administration also reported that from January 2023 to December 2024, Chatham-Kent Police received 35 hate-related calls. Chatham-Kent Victim Services logged 34 hate-motivated calls through its online tool in 2023, with the number rising in 2024.
As part of the pilot, an appointed Community Safety and Well-Being Coordinator would act as a liaison between partners and the CCFSC, participate in workshops and annual conferences, and contribute to progress monitoring.
According to the report, Chief Administrative Officer Michael Duben, Chief of Police Kirk Earley and Fire Chief Chris Case all support this recommendation.
If joining the pilot program is approved, participation in Project Upstream will offer access to expert mentorship, national collaboration, and data-driven planning tools. Chatham-Kent will have access to experts in violence prevention which will identify and strengthen potential multisector collaborations.
Chatham-Kent will be given the tools to develop community initiatives to strengthen protective factors, mitigate vulnerability, and address emerging safety issues while supporting the municipality’s ability to lead by example in building a more inclusive, resilient, and safe community.
There is no direct cost to the municipality, except covering travel expenses for a staff member to attend a conference.