Local authorities in Thunder Bay report that The Municipality of Thunder Bay is seeking council approval for a new policy that aims to address safety and security incidents on the Lakehead property.
The draft Incident Response Policy is being presented to the Finance and Administration Standing Committee on Tuesday night. It will then be presented to urban centre council as a whole in June for final approval. If approved, the policy would be implemented as part of an incident response pilot undertaking in July.
Kristyn Lovato-Day, policy and research analyst with the municipality, indicated financial support for the pilot has already been secured through the 2026 fiscal plan process. The draft policy, she remarked, came about "in response to ongoing public and employee misgivings about safety, and incidents of disorderly behavior." "This is one of those administrative policies that we felt we needed," Lovato-Day stated. "We already had a trespass procedure, but it wasn't as detailed or as thorough as the policy would be." "We felt that, for transparency and for guidance, consistent guidance for the corporation, that this was an significant step to have implemented." The draft policy,which is available online as part of the standing committee's agenda package, applies to "any building or land/property that is either owned or occupied by the Lakehead, including but not limited to recreation centres, arenas and stadia, pools and beaches, The Lakehead Hall and other municipal offices, parks, transit terminals, bus stops, transit properties and vehicles, libraries, sports fields, marinas, golf courses and cemeteries." It's aimed at various behaviours that could result in someone being asked to leave the property, including littering, vandalism, smoking or vaping in non-designated areas, loitering, soliciting, intimidating behaviour, inappropriate use of recording devices, harassment, physical assault, or weapons possession. "Where an employee, or contractor, of the Community of Thunder Bay observe inappropriate conduct in or on a urban centre facility, or have reason to believe that an incident has occurred, they will take remedial action to mitigate any negative impacts on community staff, facilities or patrons," the draft policy reads.
"Staff should, whenever possible, first explain to the individual that their behaviour is unacceptable and ask that the behaviour cease.
"Staff should, whenever possible, first explain to the individual that their behaviour is unacceptable and ask that the behaviour cease. Staff should attempt verbal de-escalation, alternate service options, and supervisor support to mitigate inappropriate conduct." Thunder Bay, Ont., urban centre council approves designated encampments, public spaces bylaw A mobile Safety and Security Response Team can be called in to de-escalate the situation, and law enforcement can also be contacted if the incident escalates further. Staff would also have the ability to issue trespass notices. For example, incidents involving littering, smoking in non-designated areas, or loitering could lead to a one-day trespass notice for the first occurrence, up to six months for the second occurrence, and up to a year for subsequent occurrences. In the case of an assault or possession of a weapon, an individual could be banned for a minimum of six months for the first occurrence, at least a year for the second occurrence, and a minimum of three years for subsequent incidents. Lovato-Day declared the Lakehead consulted with other municipalities with similar programs, such as Sudbury, as the policy was developed. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered onCBC Gem..
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📍 Source: Web Search · By: News Staff · 🗓️ August 08, 2026 · 🏠 ThunderBay.Online
