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Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Emergency Management Strategy Interim Action Plan 2021-22 PDF Version (378 Kb)

A message from the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Responsible for Emergency Management

We are pleased to release the 2021-22 Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Emergency Management Strategy Interim Action Plan. This Interim Action Plan is the product of ongoing collaborative efforts across Federal-Provincial-Territorial governments at a challenging time. It also builds upon work that has laid the foundation for stronger emergency management across Canada.

As we have seen, the lives of people across Canada and across the world have been profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and recent emergency events. This past year’s devastating wildfire and flooding seasons have highlighted that urgent action is needed to address the increasing frequency and severity of disaster events and the impacts of climate change. While these situations continue to challenge all of us, they have also reinforced that we are stronger when we work together while respecting the roles and responsibilities of each government. They have also reinforced the value of an emergency management approach focused on whole of society engagement.

In 2019, Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Responsible for Emergency Management endorsed Canada’s Emergency Management Strategy for Canada: Toward a Resilient 2030.This first-ever shared Federal-Provincial-Territorial vision for strong, resilient communities called for strengthened collaboration among all partners in emergency management – all orders of governments, civil society and Indigenous communities. This Interim Emergency Management Strategy Action Plan builds off of the momentum created by the Strategy and details shared priorities and activities across all four pillars of emergency management: prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

Indigenous communities are among those most impacted by emergencies due to their remote and coastal locations, insufficient access to emergency services, and their dependence on natural ecosystems. The Emergency Management Strategy therefore commits the federal, provincial and territorial governments within their areas of responsibility to provide Indigenous Peoples and their communities with the capacity to integrate traditional knowledge and public awareness and education programs into emergency management and disaster risk reduction. To this end, governments will establish a dialogue with Indigenous Peoples with respect to their emergency management needs and in setting emergency management priorities.

This 2021-2022 Interim Action Plan sets the stage for future plans which will be built on sustained dialogue, active participation and ongoing discussions among all partners. Together, we will continue to advance new approaches to strengthen emergency management and resilience for all.

As partners in emergency management, we are committed to taking strong action to prepare for future emergencies, including extreme weather events caused by climate change, focusing on proactive prevention/mitigation efforts while ensuring robust response and recovery capabilities. Together, by 2030 we will be better equipped to predict, prepare for, respond to, and recover from all hazards.

On behalf of Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Responsible for Emergency Management

The Honourable Bill Blair, P.C., C.O.M., M.P.
President of the Queen’s Privy Council and Minister of Emergency Preparedness
Government of Canada

The Honourable Mike Farnworth
Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General
Government of British Columbia

The Honourable Richard Mostyn
Minister of Community Services and
Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Health and Safety Board
Government of Yukon

Emergency Management Strategy for Canada

A Path to Resilience

The Emergency Management Strategy for Canada (EM Strategy) establishes priorities and aligns the efforts of Federal, Provincial, and Territorial (FPT) governments through an all-hazards, whole-of-society approach to Emergency Management (EM). It aims to strengthen Canada’s overall resilience to disasters by 2030 through five priority areas of activity:

1. Enhance whole-of-society collaboration and governance to strengthen resilience;
2. Improve understanding of disaster risks in all sectors of society;
3. Increase focus on whole-of-society disaster prevention and mitigation activities;
4. Enhance disaster response capacity and coordination and foster the development of new capabilities; and,
5. Strengthen recovery efforts by building back better to minimize the impacts of future disasters.

Each priority area has corresponding foundational objectives and priority outcomes to help set medium-term goals and demonstrate progress. These priorities provide FPT governments with the flexibility to advance the objectives of the EM Strategy in a variety of ways and in a manner that reflects their respective priorities.

Development of the FPT Action Plan

From Strategy to Action

In order to deliver on EM Strategy, FPT Ministers Responsible for Emergency Management instructed Senior Officials Responsible for Emergency Management (SOREM) to develop and advance a FPT Action Plan that addresses each of the five EM Strategy priority areas. SOREM represents the collection of FPT government organizations who lead emergency management efforts on behalf of their respective government.

The adoption of a whole-of-society approach seeks to leverage existing knowledge, experience and capabilities within EM partners, including those of Indigenous organizations and communities. The EM Strategy commits FPT governments, within their areas of responsibilities, to empower communities and Indigenous peoples with the ability to integrate traditional knowledge, awareness and education programs into broader EM and disaster risk reduction. FPT governments have worked together to ensure that these perspectives are interwoven throughout the five Strategic Actions.

This Interim Action Plan was intended to be released in 2020, however, due to priority efforts associated with the COVID-19 pandemic response, Action Plan activities were deferred to 2021-2022. Going forward, the Action Plan will adopt a two year cycle, and be reviewed on a biennial basis by SOREM. The next FPT Action Plan will span from 2022 to 2024.

Priority Area of Activity 1

Enhance whole-of-society collaboration and governance to strengthen resilience

Strategic Action

Continued FPT Government Engagement to Ensure Strong Pan-Canadian Cohesion for Emergency Management

FPT Action Plan Activities

• FPT governments will continue to engage regularly to ensure alignment of EM activities to advance towards a Resilient 2030.
• As needed, FPT governments will work together to discuss and/or exercise EM plans for cross-jurisdictional emergency events, collaborating to build resilience.
• FPT governments will work with key EM partners within and across their provinces and territories, consistent with their respective engagement processes and authorities.

Purpose of this Strategic Action

Continued FPT governance and collaboration amongst FPT partners is a critical overarching step to strengthen resilience in Canada. It is crucial that FPT governments have defined roles and responsibilities in EM and that each order of government is able to properly convey information across all levels. Ensuring structured FPT governance and collaboration will improve communication and cohesion across the country when working to mitigate/prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters.

Measuring Success (Outcomes)

2021-22 FPT Action Plan Outcome(s):

Cohesion within the FPT EM system continues to be strengthened through various FPT efforts, including:

• SOREM continues to meet on a regular basis to advance EM across Canada, including the development of a proposal for the 2022-24 EM Strategy Action Plan.
• FPT governments will continue to engage with key partners (examples: Tri-Services tables, Indigenous partners).
• FPT governments meet as needed to discuss and/or exercise EM plans to support cross-jurisdictional readiness for large-scale events.
• An inventory of existing FPT governance structures for EM (specifically those which support SOREM and the leadership tables to which SOREM reports) is prepared by Spring 2022.

Overall EM Strategy FPT Priority Outcome to 2030:

• FPT governments will consider the complex and evolving environment, including climate change adaptation, the importance of building resilience, and the value of respective EM partnerships, whenever new and updated FPT EM initiatives are developed.

Priority Area of Activity 2

Improve understanding of disaster risks in all sectors of society

Strategic Action

Improve Pan-Canadian Understanding of Disaster Risk

FPT Action Plan Activities

• FPT governments will continue to participate and provide input into National Risk Profile (NRP) risk assessment sessions throughout 2021-22.
• FPT governments will continue to participate and provide input into NRP capability assessment sessions throughout 2021-22.

Purpose of this Strategic Action

Gaining a better understanding of disaster risk within Canada helps inform prioritization of EM efforts, both in terms of proactive reduction of that risk (prevention/mitigation) and in readying jurisdictions to prepare, respond and recover from potential disasters. This action will focus on activities to support improved disaster risk and capability knowledge, information sharing, and decision-making.

Measuring Success (Outcomes)

2021-22 FPT Action Plan Outcome(s):

• Increased awareness of disaster risk and EM capability gaps in Canada.
• Initial NRP evidence to support FPT EM decision-making (Spring 2022).

Overall EM Strategy FPT Priority Outcome to 2030:

• FPT governments support and promote residents’ access to information on disaster risks in their communities and the associated hazards, while respecting privacy, confidentiality, and security considerations.

Priority Area of Activity 3

Increase focus on whole-of-society disaster prevention and mitigation activities

Strategic Action

Reduce Pan-Canadian Flood Risk

FPT Action Plan Activities

• International insurance best practices; pan-Canadian flood costing estimate; Canada-specific contextual elements to inform development of viable flood insurance options; and, FPT public policy objectives examined in Spring 2021.
• Continued FPT participation and input into the Flood Insurance and Relocation Project (FIRP) Task Teams throughout 2021/22; report to be complete by Spring 2022.

Purpose of this Strategic Action

Flood risk remains the most costly hazard – this Strategic Action aims to take a multi-pronged approach to reduce this risk. Existing efforts are underway, including examination of a national low-cost flood insurance program and potential relocation of high risk properties. Spring 2022 recommendations will inform options for potential pan-Canadian implementation. These collaborative FPT activities support multiple EM Strategy outcomes, including advancing risk knowledge, increasing preparedness, and improved recovery/build back better.

Measuring Success (Outcomes)

2021-22 FPT Action Plan Outcome(s):

• Final FIRP Task Force report available targeted for Spring 2022, which will include increased evidence to support potential residential low-cost flood insurance and strategic relocation of residents in high risk properties.
• Shared SOREM awareness of FIRP Task Teams’ progress.

Overall EM Strategy FPT Priority Outcome to 2030:

• FPT governments assist in the development of options for sharing the financial risk of disasters.

Priority Area of Activity 4

Enhance disaster response capacity and coordination and foster the development of new capabilities

Strategic Action

Advance Emergency Communications across Canada

FPT Action Plan Activities

• FPT work plan to support the long term sustainability and enhancement of the National Public Alerting System (NPAS) in the changing technological environment.
• Publication of the Temporary National Coordination Office (TNCO) report.
• Determine next steps and develop a FPT work plan that supports the advancement of a Public Safety Broadband Network (PSBN) capability in Canada.

Purpose of this Strategic Action

Recent EM events have underscored the gaps in communications between FPT governments and their citizens, highlighting the continued need for advancing national communications for EM. This Interim Action Plan advances key components of pan-Canadian EM communications, through ongoing work to enhance the NPAS and advance a future PSBN in Canada.

Measuring Success (Outcomes)

2021-22 FPT Action Plan Outcome(s):

• Improved evidence base for decision-making on emergency communications (e.g., risks and constraints, impacts of future technologies, governance models).
• A shared understanding of the major steps and milestones towards the realization of a future PSBN in Canada.

Overall EM Strategy FPT Priority Outcome to 2030:

• FPT governments work with their respective EM partners to develop interoperable public safety communication systems.

Priority Area of Activity 5

Strengthen recovery efforts by building back better to minimize the impacts of future disasters

Strategic Action

Advance Efforts for Improved Disaster Recovery Programming

FPT Action Plan Activities

• Continued FPT participation in the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) review panel efforts until Fall 2022.

Purpose of this Strategic Action

Acknowledging the significant growth in disaster risk and disaster losses, particularly since the early 1990s, recovery mechanisms need to be examined in support of a sustainable EM system. This can be achieved, in part, through work already underway such as the DFAA review panel and the Flood Insurance and Relocation Project (FIRP) Task Force.

Measuring Success (Outcomes)

2021-22 FPT Action Plan Outcome(s):

• Improved evidence for advancing matured disaster recovery programming.
• Shared SOREM awareness of DFAA review panel outputs and FIRP Task Teams’ progress.
• Expert Panel will deliver final report in Fall 2022 with the entire review process finishing by late 2022.

Overall EM Strategy FPT Priority Outcome to 2030:

• FPT governments will work to implement terms for sustainable, timely, and accessible post-disaster financial assistance for their residents.

2021-22 FPT EM Strategy Interim Action Plan

Towards Implementation

Working Together

This structured approach increases FPT cohesiveness and accountability in advancing the EM Strategy. Over the next year, FPT governments will work together to strengthen EM capabilities and are committed to carrying out the FPT contributing actions in order to advance the EM Strategy for a more resilient Canada. An FPT EM Strategy Action Plan Working Group was reconvened in 2021. This working group is made up of delegates from across FPT governments, enabling shared FPT participation for advancing this Action Plan, with direct oversight by SOREM, as FPT governments work to advance the implementation of the EM Strategy towards 2030. This Interim Action Plan was endorsed by both FPT Deputy Ministers and FPT Ministers for Emergency Management.

Improved Alignment and Cohesion

The FPT EM Strategy, and underpinning Action Plan, have embraced Capability-Based Planning (CBP) to increase cohesion throughout EM systems in Canada and moves towards an evidence-informed process for reducing risk and building resilience. This approach respects jurisdictional boundaries while increasing interoperability and supporting a more integrated planning approach to EM priorities within Canada. It advances a common process and framework for measuring, coordinating, and mobilizing resources. CBP groups functions and related resources by “capabilities” which support shared EM outcomes across the entire EM lifecycle (prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery).

CBP enables FPT Governments to structure EM work around the principles of the Emergency Management Framework for Canada (all-hazards, risk-based, coherency of action, continuous improvement) and provides a common, rigorous, rational basis for future investments to fill identified capability gaps. In addition, it promotes working across FPT Governments to focus on common outcomes and results, taking a broad view of the EM system to see capabilities that exist across agencies and the FPT orders of government.

A list of 38 EM capabilities to support an interoperable Emergency Management System in Canada has been developed by FPT governments, based on best-practices from other countries that have adopted CBP for EM, as well as through engagement with FPT EM Stakeholders from across Canada. Each capability contributes to FPT governments’ ability to deliver on one, or more, of the priority areas outlined in the EM Strategy.

Conclusion

Striving for increased resilience by 2030

The FPT EM Strategy Action Plan drives forward the FPT governments’ vision of strengthening EM capabilities to prevent/mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters, in order to reduce disaster risk and increase the resiliency of all individuals and communities. Despite a large contingent of FPT resources being dedicated to the COVID-19 pandemic, FPT governments will work to meet their collective commitment to the EM Strategy through the five Strategic Actions outlined in this Interim Action Plan for 2021-22. SOREM will continue to monitor the implementation of this Interim Action Plan, while the FPT EM Strategy Action Plan Working Group will begin to construct the EM Strategy Action Plan for 2022-24, advancing the EM Strategy and pushing Canada’s EM systems down the path toward a more resilient future by 2030.

Date modified:

2024-02-21