Canada's Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction: Working Groups

Interested Platform members can assemble Platform-related Working Groups based on specific issues or priority activities.  The composition of each Working Group is determined by the task/issue at hand.  All Working Groups must be connected to Canada's Platform via the Advisory Committee.  The Platform Advisory Committee must approve both the establishment of the Working Groups themselves as well as their Terms of Reference. There are currently four established working groups:

Resilient Communities Working Group

The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR) has recognized the need for cities and local governments need to get ready to deal with potential disasters, reduce the risks and become resilient to disasters. Since 2009 the UN/ISDR has been campaigning together with its partners for this to happen. The 2010-2011 World Disaster Reduction Campaign “Making Cities Resilient” addresses issues of local governance and urban risk while drawing upon previous ISDR Campaigns on safer schools and hospitals, as well as on the sustainable urbanization (PDF 68.7KB) principles developed in the UN-Habitat World Urban Campaign 2009-2013.

“Through the Campaign towards safer cities and urban risk reduction, we can save lives, achieve gains towards the Millennium Development Goals, help protect natural resources, the urban heritage and the economic activities…”  Mr. Rishi Raj Lumsali, Chairperson of the Association of District Development Committee of Nepal

Within this context the Resilient Communities Working Group provides Canada's Platform with informed advice on relevant strategies and takes the lead in identifying disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities to foster disaster resiliency. It will guide, set priorities, and support the development of a Canadian network of disaster resilient communities and actively seek for opportunities for collaboration to increase community-based disaster resiliency.

For Additional Information on the Resilient Communities Working Group, Contact the Working Group co-chairs:

Laurie Pearce
Research Chair
Justice Institute of British Columbia
lauriepearce@shaw.ca

The Resilient Communities Working Group has a collaborative workspace SharePoint site accessible to interested parties by contacting the DRR Secretariat at:

drr-rrc@ps-sp.gc.ca
Phone: 613-949-6608
Fax: 613-991-7095

Science and Technology Working Group

The Science and Technology Working Group will provide Canada's Platform with informed advice on relevant science and technology and lead in appropriate science and technology activities.  It will guide, set priorities, and support the development, implementation and operation of Canada's Platform Science and Technology program, under the overall guidance of Canada's Platform.

The Science and Technology Working Group collaborates with the International Council for Science's Integrated Research on Disaster Risk in an attempt to align research initiatives across national boundaries. 

For Additional Information on the Science and Technology Working Group, Contact the Working Group co-chairs:

Mark Williamson
Deputy Director General
Centre for Security Science
Defence Research and Development Canada
Mark.Williamson@drdc-rddc.gc.ca

Paul Kovacs
Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction
University of Western Ontario
pkovacs@iclr.org

The Science and Technology Working Group has a collaborative workspace SharePoint site, accessible to interested parties by contacting the DRR Secretariat at:

drr-rrc@ps-sp.gc.ca
Phone: 613-949-6608
Fax: 613-991-7095

Voluntary Sector Working Group

The Voluntary Sector Working Group will provide Canada's Platform with an insight into non-traditional voluntary sector readiness and engagement within the federal emergency management framework in Canada. It will set priorities and support the development of a Canadian network of disaster resilient voluntary sector organizations and actively seek opportunities for collaboration to increase the voluntary sector resiliency, under the overall guidance of Canada's Platform.

For Additional Information on the Voluntary Sector Working Group, contact the Working Group co-chairs:

Louise Geoffrion
Deputy Director
Canadian Red Cross
Louise.Geoffrion@redcross.ca

Terry Yahn
Executive Director
Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada
tyahn@sarvac.ca

The Voluntary Sector Working Group has a collaborative workspace, accessible to interested parties by contacting the DRR Secretariat at:

drr-rrc@ps-sp.gc.ca
Phone: 613-949-6608
Fax: 613-991-7095

Private Sector Partnership Working Group

The Private Sector Partnerships Working Group will provide Canada's Platform with informed advice on relevant strategies and take the lead in identifying priorities in appropriate DRR activities and to foster disaster resiliency. It will guide, set priorities, and support the development of economic resilience in the private sector to enhance its ability to plan for response and recovery from disasters. It will seek opportunities for collaboration both within the private sector and with government at all levels to promote community resilience.

For Additional Information on the Private Sector Partnership Working Group, contact the Working Group Chairs:

The Private Sector Partnership Working Group has a collaborative workspace, accessible to interested parties by contacting the DRR Secretariat at:

drr-rrc@ps-sp.gc.ca
Phone: 613-949-6608
Fax: 613-991-7095