Parliamentary Committee Notes: Supporting a Humanitarian Workforce to Respond to COVID-19 and Other Large-Scale Emergencies
Issue
Provide an update on funding provided to the Canadian Red Cross and other non-governmental organizations through the Humanitarian Workforce program.
Proposed Response
- Since 2021, our Government has provided funding through the Humanitarian Workforce program, to respond to large-scale domestic emergencies.
- This funding has enabled humanitarian non-governmental organizations in Canada to build capacity to respond to all-hazard events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and natural disasters, such as floods and wildfires.
- The Humanitarian Workforce program has also supported the deployment of the Red Cross and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada in response to Requests for Federal Assistance from provinces and territories.
- These efforts have helped to provide health human resources, such as nurses, epidemic prevention and control teams, contact tracing assistance, and support to long-term care homes and shelters in communities with COVID-19 outbreaks across the country.
- Our Government also recognizes that a sustainable approach for a pan-Canadian civilian response capacity is needed to keep pace with the evolving threat environment. This is why my department intends to engage key partners and stakeholders on this issue in early 2024.
Backgound
Humanitarian Workforce program
On July 11, 2023, the Government announced $82 million in funding to support the capacity-building efforts of four national non-governmental organizations (NGOs): the Canadian Red Cross (CRC), St. John Ambulance, the Salvation Army, and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada (SARVAC). This builds on previous funding announced early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Fall Economic Statement 2020 announced that the Government would provide up to $150 million over two years ($84.1 million in 2021-21, and $65.9 million in 2022-23) to support the CRC and other NGOs in building and maintaining a humanitarian workforce to provide surge capacity in response to COVID-19 outbreaks and other large-scale emergencies.
The Humanitarian Workforce (HWF) program aims to build a scalable civilian workforce that can be rapidly deployed in emergencies, broadening the resources available to respond to human-induced and climate-related disasters in Canada, and reducing the reliance on the Canadian Armed Forces in disaster response. The program funds NGOs that possess specialized skills and expertise to respond to a variety of events that could initiate Requests for Federal Assistance (RFAs) from provincial and territorial governments (P/Ts).
Two streams of funding are available: Stream 1 (Capacity-Building) and Stream 2 (Deployment Activities).
Stream 1 (Capacity-Building) funds NGOs to build on their recruitment, training, equipment and organizational readiness to allow them to rapidly deploy on short notice for emergency response. From 2021-22 to 2022-23, a total of $85 million was committed under this stream, through agreements with the four NGOs currently funded under the program.
Stream 2 (Deployment Activities) funds the deployment of NGOs in response to RFAs from P/Ts when surge capacity is needed to support resources on the ground. As of November 2023, a total of $11.4 million has been committed under stream 2, and there has been a total of 13 deployments by the CRC, including support for Health Human Resources (HHRs) in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut; support to Long Term Care Facilities (LTCFs) in Ontario and Nova Scotia; contact tracing, shelter support and epidemic prevention and control in Northwest Territories; and vaccination support in Nova Scotia and PEI. The Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada has also deployed once in Ontario. There have been no draws on this stream of funding since 2022.
The HWF program builds upon previous time-limited funding to scale up the capacity of the CRC for urgent relief efforts. In May 2020, the Government announced a commitment of up to $100 million to help the CRC meet increased demand due to COVID-19, and to support future flood and wildfire relief efforts. An additional $70 million was announced in December 2020. This funding is administered under the Government of Canada’s existing contribution program: the “Supporting the Canadian Red Cross’s Urgent Relief Efforts Related to COVID-19, Floods and Wildfires” program.
Civilian response consultations
In December 2022, the federal government communicated that it will engage provinces, territories, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders on the need for a civilian response capacity. This engagement will help inform decisions concerning the establishment of an integrated and sustainable approach for an all hazards civilian response capacity.
Public Safety is currently preparing to launch whole-of-society consultations on civilian response in early 2024.
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