Emergency Management

Branch Background

Public Safety Canada (PS) plays a leadership role in Canada’s emergency management (EM) system by coordinating EM activities among federal institutions and in cooperation with the provinces, territories, and other entities. PS helps Canadians and their communities protect themselves from emergencies and disasters through a range of initiatives and functions supporting the four components of EM: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

PS provides financial assistance to provincial and territorial (PT) governments through programs such as Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA). The Government Operations Centre (GOC) supports response coordination among departments for events affecting the national interest and manages Requests for Federal Assistance (RFAs), which any PT may submit to the federal government to provide support in response to an emergency event that escalates beyond the capacity of their EM capabilities.

Climate change and the growing frequency of floods, wildfires and other environmental, natural, and human-induced disasters are leading to significant increases in rate of occurrence, severity and cost of disasters in Canada. Since the DFAA program was established in 1970, the Government of Canada has contributed over $7.9 billion in post-disaster assistance to help provinces and territories with the costs of response and of returning infrastructure and personal property to pre-disaster condition. 73 per cent of this total was paid out in the last 10 years. Provincial, territorial, municipal and Indigenous governments have incurred billions more in further costs while the insurance industry and private citizens also cover more costs. As such, the leadership role that PS plays in Canada’s EM system is becoming increasingly important in order to ensure an all-hazards and whole-of-society approach to strengthening Canada’s resilience. There are many links between EM, disaster risk reduction, and climate change adaptation which are fostering discussions beyond traditional EM circles that are necessary to increase our collective resilience.

A Shared Responsibility

As outlined in the Emergency Management Act (2007), EM in Canada is a shared responsibility, which relies on ongoing cooperation and communication among all levels of government. PT governments and local authorities provide the first response to the vast majority of emergencies. The Government of Canada provides resources, reimburses costs and provides leadership to prevent/mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from major emergency events. PS provides leadership in EM by engaging with domestic and international partners to promote  standards/best practices and develop and implement policies, plans and a range of programs.

Emergency Management Strategy

The Emergency Management Framework for Canada (2017) aims to guide and strengthen the way governments and partners assess risks and work together to prevent/mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from the threats that pose the greatest risk to Canadians. The Framework aligns with key international agreements, including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, to advance disaster risk reduction priorities and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, to ensure that sustainable development accounts for disaster risk. Building on this foundation, the Emergency Management Strategy for Canada: Towards a Resilient 2030 (2019) was approved by FPT Ministers responsible for EM and established five FPT priorities to strengthen the resilience of Canadian society by 2030:

These five FPT priorities are advanced through the Government’s mandate and the EMS Action Plan, updated periodically by FPT governments to establish specific goals under the priorities. 

Government Priorities

The Minister of Emergency Preparedness has 13 Mandate Letter Commitments (MLCs) under the responsibility of Public Safety Canada. Comprehensive work plans for each of the 13 Minister of Emergency Preparedness-led MLCs have been developed to ensure the successful completion of each commitment. The Department reports to PCO’s Results and Delivery Unit on the status and progress of the MLCs on a quarterly basis. Briefings between the Minister’s Office and PCO also takes place on a quarterly basis. The 13 MLCs are:

The following is a summary of some of the key issues related to the MLCs.

The National Risk Profile and Raising Awareness of Disaster Risk

PS promotes a common federal view of disaster risk though the development of a National Risk Profile (NRP). The NRP is Canada's first strategic, national-level disaster risk assessment, which helps identify EM and other capability improvements needed to keep pace with a changing risk environment. It provides a national picture of the disaster risks facing Canada, and the existing measures and resources in our EM systems to address them. The first NRP public report was released as part of Emergency Preparedness Week, on May 11, 2023. The report is based on input and evidence from whole-of-society stakeholders across Canada, and provides a foundation for understanding disaster risk. The NRP takes a phased approach to assessing hazards, and the first report focuses on three of the most costly and highest-impact hazards facing Canadians: earthquakes, wildland fires and flooding.  It is central to the federal component of the Emergency Management Strategy, funded in Budget 2019.

PS is commencing work on the second round of risk and capability assessments through the NRP. This will allow for the continuous improvement of the strategic assessment process, which in turn will allow for better information and analysis informing the NRP. As part of this, PS held virtual risk assessment sessions which involved whole-of-society experts from across Canada. Participants were tasked with examining scenarios on heat events, hurricanes and space weather. These three hazards were selected given their high impacts on public health, critical infrastructure, the economy, and ecosystems. In future years, the NRP will expand to include more natural hazards, and subject to decision-making, and will eventually include all hazards and human-induced threats.

To support public awareness and further increase the understanding of disaster risks, in 2019 the Department also launched an Emergency Preparedness Public Awareness Campaign. The campaign complements the NRP and aims to protect Canadians by focusing on concrete actions that individuals can take to better prepare against the risk of disasters and emergencies.

Flood Risk Reduction

Historically, flooding has been the most costly natural hazard in Canada. Efforts are underway to mitigate future flood risk and build flood resilience. PS is implementing a systems-based approach to address gaps identified in Canada’s flood risk management system with the goal of reducing the financial burden of flooding on Canadians, increasing the resilience of Canadian communities, and raising Canadians’ awareness of flood risk and encouraging behaviours to reduce risk.

Specifically, PS is taking action to help Canadians be prepared for, and recover from the impact of floods in high risk areas by:

PS is also working on a Disaster Risk Reduction Data Strategy to support Environment and Climate Change Canada’s efforts to establish a Climate Data Strategy, to ensure that the private sector and communities have access to data to inform planning and infrastructure investments.

National Adaptation Strategy

Published in June 2023, the National Adaptation Strategy (NAS) establishes a shared vision for climate resilience in Canada, key priorities for collaboration, and a framework for measuring progress at the national level. The Strategy offers the opportunity to unite actors across Canada through shared priorities, cohesive action, and a whole-of-Canada approach to reducing climate change risks.

While Environment and Climate Change Canada leads this work, other federal Departments stood up Advisory Tables in 2021 to lead work under thematic pillars. Each Advisory Table was co-chaired by an organization outside of the federal government: Health and Wellbeing (Health Canada); Resilient Infrastructure (Infrastructure Canada); Thriving Natural Environment (Environment and Climate Change Canada); Strong and Resilient Economy (Natural Resources Canada); and Disaster Resilience and Security (Public Safety Canada).

The Disaster Resilience and Security Advisory Table, co-chaired with the Insurance Bureau of Canada, consisted of diverse stakeholders, including representatives from National Indigenous Organizations, non-governmental organizations, academia, industry and others. Advisory Table engagement demonstrated that stakeholders are looking for significant, immediate and tangible actions in the area of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction, especially as we see events unfolding in our country which demonstrate the growing impacts of climate-related disasters to Canadians. As such, the Advisory Table identified actions to strengthen Canada’s preparedness and readiness to disaster events with a focus on floods, heat events, wildfires and recovery.

The first iteration of the NAS was released alongside the Government of Canada Adaptation Action Plan (GOCAAP) on November 24th, 2022. The GOCAAP is the federal plan to implement the NAS through organizing federal efforts on adaptation and providing an inventory of federal adaptation actions. In the GOCAAP, the Government of Canada commits to better integrating climate change adaptation with disaster risk reduction by recognizing the shared goals of improving resilience, prioritizing disaster preparedness, prevention and mitigation and improving whole-of-society participation.

Following the November launch, a final consultation period, which ended on March 31, 2023, was undertaken to review the goals, targets and objectives in the NAS with provinces, territories, and National Indigenous Organizations. A final NAS and GOCAAP were released on June 27, 2023.

Moving forward, the NAS will aim to reduce climate change risks, increase adaptive capacity, and ultimately accelerate the pace and scope of adaptation action required to meet the urgency of the climate change impacts we are witnessing. By providing a national framework for action, the NAS will help ensure that all parties have clarity on roles and responsibilities in disaster risk management, and support adaptation actions that are cohesive, targeted, and strategic.

2023 Wildfire Season

The 2023 wildfire season has been particularly challenging for EM capabilities across Canada. As of July 21, there have been 4,397 fires burning more than 11.2 million hectares, with 910 active fires; 604 are considered “Out of Control”. The wildfire season has been widespread, and the Government of Canada approved seven wildfire related Requests for Assistance (RFAs) in British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec.  As of late July, the majority of fire activity is concentrated in British Columbia, Quebec, Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and Ontario. It is expected that large-scale firefighting operations will continue for the foreseeable future.

This wildfire season surpassed its historic record for total area burned in one season (7.6 million hectares, previously set in 1989). Almost 7,500 firefighting personnel have been deployed nationally to combat the wildfires, including almost 1,800 international personal from Australia, the United States, South Africa, South Korea, Chile, Mexico and elsewhere.

One of the most impacted groups from this year’s wildfire season is First Nations and Indigenous communities. Indigenous Services Canada is working with the Canadian Red Cross to assist with transportation, accommodation, food, and sourcing air purifiers for community members sheltering in place.

Government Operations Centre Modernization

PS is working to modernize federal capabilities and practice including reinforcing the role of the GOC. A key activity of this project is to renew the Federal Emergency Response Plan (FERP), which is the Government of Canada's "all-hazards" response plan. The FERP is designed to harmonize and coordinate federal emergency response efforts with those of the PT governments, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector.

Humanitarian Workforce and Donation Matching

Through engagement with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the Department is working to support capacity building, readiness and deployments in the provision of humanitarian support for Canadians, in response to large-scale emergencies and disasters in Canada, such as COVID-19, wildfires, and floods. This includes funding the Canadian Red Cross and other NGOs through the Humanitarian Workforce Program established in 2021. This program, recently extended until March 31, 2026, helps eligible organizations build capacity and  deploy resources to support the response to Requests for Federal Assistance. The Department also leads work to develop and implement joint initiatives with provinces and territories to match donations to appeals set up by not-for-profit organizations to support emergency responses. In 2023, this included initiatives with  Nova Scotia and Alberta to match donations to specific Canadian Red Cross appeals, and an initiative with the Northwest Territories to match donations to the NWT United Way. To support the potential development of a longer term pan-Canadian model to leverage civilian response capacity across whole-of-society, PS will be leading broad consultations which are expected to launch in early Fall 2023.

Emergency Communications

The Department is also leading work to sustain and enhance emergency communications capabilities. This includes ongoing work to develop a nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (PSBN) for Canada. This would be a secure and dedicated wireless data communications network that can be used by emergency responders and public safety personnel to communicate with each other during emergency situations and day-to-day operations. The advancement of such a network is of high interest to your provincial and territorial counterparts and the first responder community. A key next step for this pan-Canadian initiative is securing authorities for a governance framework. In this context, the Department will be leading targeted engagement early this Fall on the mandate and form of a national oversight body for the PSBN. 

In addition, the Department is leading collaborative work with provinces and territories to sustain and enhance the effectiveness of Canada’s National Public Alerting System (NPAS). This key emergency management capability sends out warnings of imminent threats through wireless devices, television and radio so immediate action can be taken to protect lives and properties. There are a number of calls, including from the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC) the joint public inquiry created to examine the April 18-19, 2020 mass casualty event in Nova Scotia, to increase the NPAS’s effectiveness, including by ensuring consistent use and strengthening the system’s governance. FPT Ministers Responsible for Emergency Management have collectively called for work to strengthen the sustainability and use of the system, including exploring alternative governance and funding models. The Department leads collaborative work to deliver on these commitments.

Further, the Department is working to enable a Missile Warning Protocol in recognition of the evolving geopolitical context, including establishing the capability for the department to use the NPAS to use such alerts to Canadians.

Provincial/Territorial and Stakeholder Perspectives

PS maintains a network of partnerships with other federal government institutions, PT emergency management organizations (EMOs), first responders and voluntary organizations (e.g., Canadian Red Cross), industry representatives (e.g., Insurance Bureau of Canada), international partners and other stakeholders and communities supporting a whole-of-society approach to emergency management that leverages resources and capacities at all levels across the country.

The Department provides overall leadership in Federal-Provincial-Territorial Relations, including by supporting you as the co-Chair, along with your Manitoba counterpart, of the FPT Ministers Responsible for Emergency Management Table. This Table is expected to have its next meeting in December 2023. The Table last met in June 2023 to discuss the ongoing wildfire situation and update on key files, notably the review of the DFAA; Flood Insurance, NPAS, PSBN and the EMS Action Plan.

As noted earlier, PS worked alongside PT governments to co-create an Action Plan for 2021-22 that will advance shared priorities under the EMS. This 2021-22 Interim Action Plan was approved by FPT Ministers in March 2022. In June 2023, FPT Ministers agreed to extend the plan to December 2023. PT partners have, through the Canadian Council of Emergency Management Organization (CCEMO), stated their three main collective EM priorities as development of: a national EM communications strategy; a national EM training strategy and standards; and a national/interprovincial mutual assistance agreement. CCEMO and federal EM priorities are reflected in the current Action Plan and are to be reflected in future iterations

Support for the Humanitarian Workforce and donation matching increase capacity of NGO-provisioned EM capabilities that support PTs in coping with large-scale emergencies.  Further, PS is taking a long-term approach to building readiness and response capacity and intends to engage with provinces, territories, Indigenous partners, NGOs and other stakeholders on the need for a pan-Canadian approach for a civilian response capacity.

Following a February 2023 meeting between Minister Blair and representatives of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the National Search and Rescue Secretariat (NSS) is coordinating a working level joint meeting between federal departments with SAR-related responsibilities and the Province. The focus of the meetings are on improving Search and Rescue in the Province, especially Labrador, through SAR enhancements focused on safety and prevention. Some of these enhancements which are already underway are expected to be featured at an upcoming panel at the annual SARSCENE Conference September 14-17th, 2023 in St. John’s NFLD.

In addition, the Department supports initiatives to raise public awareness including leading national coordination for Emergency Preparedness Week which is annually held during the first week of May, and leads and coordinates the FPT Emergency Management Exemplary Service Awards which recognize excellence in the Emergency Management community.

Date modified: