Emergency Support
If you are experiencing an emergency or need immediate assistance, please call 911 right away. Emergency services remain the fastest and most appropriate response for urgent safety, health, or life‑threatening situations.
Building a Safer, Healthier, Stronger Future — Together
Tsawwassen First Nation’s Community Safety Strategy (CSS) is a long‑term plan shaped by the voices of our Members, the teachings of our ancestors, and the needs of our community today. The Strategy reflects years of community engagement, cultural guidance, and expert support. It lays out a path toward a safer, healthier, and more resilient TFN for current and future generations.
The CSS is built on four sx̌éx̌t̓ək̓ʷ — house posts, each one holding up a core part of community safety:
- Health & Wellness – łałəwəθət
- Safe Housing – laʔθət
- Physical Infrastructure – ƛ̓əq̓ʷmát
- Public Order & Safety – šxʷkʷecxənəm
These pillars work together to support the wellbeing of our Members and the stability of our Nation.
Where the Strategy Comes From
The original TFN Community Safety Strategy was created in 2013, and focused mainly on addressing illicit activities. A decade later, with TFN’s population growing and community needs evolving, leadership called for a more holistic, culturally grounded approach.
Between 2022 and 2025, TFN held extensive engagement sessions with youth, Elders, families, frontline workers, and community gatherings. The resulting Strategy is shaped by:
- Tsawwassen and Coast Salish teachings
- Indigenous legal traditions
- Community priorities and lived experiences
- Best practices from other First Nations and local partners
- Research in health, housing, infrastructure, and public safety
Through this work, the Panel identified central teachings — respect, helping one another, gratitude, love, healing, working together as one, and accountability — to guide the implementation of all recommendations.
How the CSS Is Being Implemented
Implementation of the CSS is a whole‑of‑government effort involving:
- TFN Government departments
- Delta Police TFN Service Team
- Həleləm Collective
- Health partners and community organizations
Improving safety is a shared responsibility. TFN cannot address these challenges in isolation, and lasting change requires strong coordination with public health systems, policing, and regional partners. These systems will continue to play an essential role in prevention, response, and recovery.
Led by an Oversight Panel and an Implementation Working Group, TFN is taking action across all four house posts — from expanding health supports and improving crisis response, to increasing road safety, building stronger partnerships, and creating housing options that better meet the needs of Members.
The Oversight Panel will report to Executive Council periodically on progress made under the Strategy, where appropriate, to ensure accountability and transparency.
Some current areas of work include:
- Strengthening TFN health services and tracking systems
- Increasing access to counselling, harm reduction supplies, and family supports
- Planning housing options for Elders, youth, and vulnerable Members
- Improving roads, lighting, sidewalks, and CPTED design
- Reviewing enforcement pathways and improving major‑incident communication
- Expanding intergenerational programming
- Supporting staff wellness to stabilize services
Each recommendation in the Strategy includes short‑term actions, long‑term planning, progress indicators, and identified challenges — ensuring transparency and accountability as the work continues.
Why This Strategy Matters
A safe community is one where:
- Families are supported
- Youth have opportunities
- Elders are cared for
- Homes are safe
- Roads, lighting, and public spaces are well‑designed
- Health services meet people where they are
- Violence and unsafe activities are addressed
- Culture and healing lead the way
TFN’s CSS ensures that safety is not only about enforcement — it is about wellness, connection, cultural identity, housing stability, and community trust. It is about bringing together our values and our governance to support the wellbeing of every Member.
Read the executive summary here.
Community Safety Strategy Inquiries
If you have questions about the Community Safety Strategy, implementation updates, reporting pathways, or wish to provide feedback, please contact:
📧 communitysafety@tsawwassenfirstnation.com
Mental health urgency
Recipients experiencing an emergency mental health situation are encouraged to reach out to TFN Health Services, or emergency services (including regional crisis lines), or—in extreme circumstances—9‑1‑1, for connection and access to appropriate emergency mental health services.
Contact TFN Departments
Health Services (TFN Department)
- Email: healthservices@tsawwassenfirstnation.com
- Phone: (604) 948‑5239
Family Services (TFN Department)
- Phone: (604) 690‑4791
TFN Housing‑Related Questions
For questions related to TFN Housing — including tenancy supports, housing policies, or concerns about housing safety — please contact the Həleləm Collective:
Website & contact information: https://hulelum.ca/
The Path Ahead
Work will continue throughout the year, with progress reviewed regularly by the Oversight Committee and shared with Executive Council. Annual updates will be issued to keep Members informed and to track how recommendations are being implemented over time. The CSS represents a commitment from TFN leadership: