The Surrey Mobilization and Resiliency Table (SMART) celebrated its 10-year anniversary at a special event on Tuesday, marking a decade of proactively supporting individuals and families facing complex social challenges.
“SMART was the first program in B.C. to use the situation table model, a collaborative approach where professionals from police, health, housing, and social services work together to help people before challenges escalate,” said Mayor Brenda Locke. “It continues to be recognized as a best practice for supporting some of the city’s most vulnerable residents. Programs like SMART strengthen families and help make our community safer and more resilient.”
The program was launched in October 2015 after a review of police calls for service found that roughly 60% involved social challenges rather than criminal activity, including mental health crises, substance use, homelessness or housing instability, family or domestic conflicts, at-risk youth, and victims of abuse or exploitation. SMART was designed to connect individuals and families facing these challenges with coordinated support before situations escalate into emergencies.
“Each week, the SMART team meets to identify individuals and families at high risk of harm or victimization and connects them to timely, coordinated support services,” said Councillor Rob Stutt. “SMART continues to be a leading example of how collaboration and early intervention can support residents facing social challenges, helping build a safer, stronger, and more resilient community.”
Since its inception, SMART has supported hundreds of residents with measurable results:
- Over 720 cases have been accepted with 63% of clients experiencing overall risk reduction through connections to appropriate services.
- One in five women referred have been victims of gender-based violence, including human trafficking, and were connected to specialized in anti-violence programs.
- Over 30% of referrals identified as Indigenous, underscoring the importance of culturally appropriate and inclusive services.
- One in five men referred were unhoused or at risk of losing their housing, with approximately 90% of overall referrals requiring housing supports. These clients were connected to programs designed to help prevent homelessness.
Building on SMART’s success, the City launched the Children and Youth At-Risk Table (CHART) in 2019. Today, there are 38 similar multi-agency early intervention programs across B.C., with 14 more being developed, all modeled on the approach first created in Surrey.
