Ottawa's downtown core is getting safer — and the numbers are backing that up.
Ottawa Police Chief Eric Stubbs announced that calls for service in the downtown area have dropped by 25 per cent over the past year, a result he's directly attributing to the department's CORE (Community Outreach and Response Enforcement) team. The milestone is prompting police to move forward with Phase 2 of their downtown safety strategy.
What Is the CORE Team?
The CORE team is a specialized unit deployed in Ottawa's downtown to address the complex mix of public safety concerns that have challenged the city's core in recent years — from street-level drug activity and mental health crises to visible homelessness and disorder around Rideau Street and surrounding areas.
Unlike a standard patrol response, CORE brings together police officers alongside social services and outreach workers, aiming to divert people in crisis toward supports rather than purely enforcement. It's a model that cities across Canada have been experimenting with, and Ottawa's results appear to be among the more promising.
A 25 Per Cent Drop in One Year
Chief Stubbs highlighted the 25 per cent reduction in downtown calls for service as a clear indicator that the approach is working. Fewer calls for service generally means fewer incidents requiring police response — a metric that reflects both crime levels and the perceived safety of an area.
For downtown Ottawa businesses, residents, and commuters who have raised concerns about safety in the core over recent years, the data offers some reassurance that the city's investment in the strategy is paying dividends.
What Phase 2 Looks Like
While full details of Phase 2 are still being rolled out, the expansion is expected to build on the foundations of the existing CORE deployment — potentially widening the geographic coverage, increasing team capacity, or extending hours of operation. The goal is to sustain and deepen the progress made during the first phase.
City councillors and community advocates have been watching the CORE team's performance closely, particularly as Ottawa continues to grapple with the downstream effects of the opioid crisis and housing instability that have shaped conditions in the downtown core.
Why This Matters for Ottawa
Downtown Ottawa's recovery post-pandemic has been uneven. While new restaurants and businesses have opened, concerns about safety — particularly around certain stretches of Rideau Street and the ByWard Market — have persisted. Perception of safety is as important as actual safety data when it comes to drawing people back to the core.
A sustained drop in calls for service, combined with visible community-oriented policing, could help shift that perception and encourage more foot traffic, tourism, and investment in the heart of the city.
For Chief Stubbs and Ottawa Police Service, the Phase 2 announcement is also a signal to the community that this isn't a short-term initiative — it's a commitment to a long-term downtown safety model.
As spring brings more people out onto Ottawa's streets and patios, the timing of the Phase 2 rollout couldn't be better.
Source: Ottawa Citizen
