Supportive Outreach Services (SOS) Featured on National Stage at Cities Summit in Ottawa
Grey County’s SOS program shared its life-saving model at a national summit focused on building better, more inclusive Canadian communities.
A Grey County-based program that has quietly transformed how vulnerable people receive care was thrust into the national spotlight this week, as Supportive Outreach Services (SOS) was featured at the State of Canada’s Cities Summit in Ottawa.
Held December 3–4, the summit brought together over 500 urban leaders, including policymakers, planners, researchers, and frontline organizations, all focused on building stronger, more livable cities.
This year’s theme—“Better Places for a Better Canada: Leveraging the Local”—put the spotlight on grassroots initiatives making a measurable impact in their communities. SOS was invited to speak to that impact.
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On Wednesday, Francesca Dobbyn, Executive Director of the United Way of Bruce Grey and co-chair of the SOS program, joined a national panel discussion titled Investing in People and Place: Strengthening Social and Physical Infrastructure.
Dobbyn joined representatives from the Tamarack Institute, Evergreen, Mass Culture, and Dalhousie University in a wide-ranging discussion on how social and physical infrastructure must evolve together to build inclusive communities.
The panel explored how services like SOS are filling crucial gaps in care, often for people left out of traditional systems.
After her presentation, Dobbyn told the Owen Sound Current that the panel discussion sparked subsequent conversations about the essential role of partnerships in addressing broad community challenges.
“Personally, I noted a shift in the conversations from the stage from ‘cities are so important to Canada’ to ‘communities are important to Canada.’ It’s recognition that rural communities face the same challenges, but also seek the same solutions as cities,” Dobbyn said.
Launched in 2021, Supportive Outreach Services operates across Grey County and has delivered more than 12,000 services to date.
The mobile, multi-agency team provides in-the-moment medical care, mental health support, harm reduction, and housing connections to individuals facing homelessness, substance use challenges, or barriers to traditional care. At any given time, the program is actively supporting approximately 100 individuals.
Unlike conventional health and social services, SOS brings the system to people—on the streets, in shelters, and in community spaces—meeting them where they are. That model, backed by nearly two dozen partner organizations, has contributed to a reduction in opioid-related deaths and improved health outcomes for many in Grey Bruce.
The program is co-chaired by Grey County Paramedic Chief Kevin McNab and delivered in partnership with Grey County, the Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce, Brightshores Health System, OSHaRE, Safe ‘N Sound, Grey Bruce Public Health, and many others.
Funding comes from Grey County, the Province of Ontario, and community donations coordinated by United Way of Bruce Grey.
The SOS model has earned widespread recognition. In October 2024, it received the Ontario Health System Quality and Innovation Award, and just this past October 2025, Grey County Council approved new funding to expand services, including a downtown social navigator team focused on Owen Sound.
To learn more about the SOS program, visit grey.ca/sos or unitedwayofbrucegrey.com/sos-helps. For details on the State of Canada’s Cities Summit, visit canurb.stateofcitiessummit.ca.
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