Social & Community Wellbeing
Community wellbeing is the combination of social, economic, environmental, cultural, and political conditions that are identified by a community as essential for them to flourish.
When we look at a thriving community, we find three attributes that play a large role in wellbeing:
- connectedness
- livability
- equity
2023 Social and Economic Wellbeing Assessment
In the Spring of 2023, the City undertook a Social and Economic Wellbeing Assessment to develop a better understanding of the lived experiences of those struggling within out community. This project was undertaken in partnership with several community partners. The final report was adopted by Council in January 2024.
The City would like to extend a thank you to Resilience Planning for coordinating this project and the following key partners:
- Selkirk College Nursing and Social Work Program
- Selkirk Innovates
- Kootenay Career Development Society PEERS Program
- Kootenay Family Place
- Castlegar and District Community Services Society
- School District 20
- Circle of Indigenous Nations Society
- Community Harvest Food Bank
- ANKORS/REDEN
We would also like to express our gratitude toward those residents of Castlegar who participated for their honesty, courage, and vulnerability. The Castlegar Integrated Services Collaborative and other community partners will be tasked with implementation of some of the recommendations of this report.
Integrated Services Collaborative (CISC)
In 2022, the City of Castlegar established the Integrated Services Collaborative (CISC) to raise awareness, reduce stigma, improve access to services for those most vulnerable or unhoused in the community. The collaborative is comprised of various organizations, businesses, institutions, and elected officials that meet on a quarterly basis to direct resources to where they are most needed.