COVID-19 Response Plan and the Role of the Government Operations Centre (GOC)
Classification: Unclassified
Branch/Agency: EMPB
Proposed Response:
- Senators, it’s a pleasure to be here today, and I’d like to begin by reassuring you that we have done everything in our power to prepare, to respond, and to plan some more on this rapidly evolving and challenging global issue.
- I’m sure you know by now that my department houses the Government Operations Centre - which is one of the key assets in the federal government in Emergency Management.
- On behalf of the entire Federal government, the Government Operations Centre held comprehensive planning sessions, with all departments, in February.
- The GOC released the Government of Canada Response Plan for COVID-19 several weeks ago, and has issued a new version 3.2 of it this past week.
- The plan outlines a coordinated whole of government approach and provides a high-level overview of the roles, authorities, responsibilities, capabilities and federal actions required for the response to COVID 19.
- The plan provides clarity on a number of cross-cutting issues such as Critical Infrastructure (CI), Public Health measures, Business Continuity Planning and others.
- In addition, the Federal Plan was presented to Provincial and Territorial (PT) partners during a call of the senior officials responsible for emergency management over the last week or two, and it was well received by the PTs.
- Further contingency planning has taken place on an urgent basis given events occurring around the world. Public Safety and the GOC have again worked with all partners to create a separate contingency plan to address the response to any potential large Community Containment scenario, where a city, region, or province may be declared under lockdown under PT authorities.
- Impacted PTs would lead the containment implementation, backstopped by Federal capabilities as needed, including Requests for Assistance (RFA), evacuations, or support for critical infrastructure or other aid. This is precisely what we are looking at for the situation in the NWT and the north, which occurred over the weekend.
- In addition, the Canadian Red Cross took part in the FPT planning session. Private sector supply chain and critical infrastructure leads are also being consulted directly as part of this effort.
Background:
The Government Operations Centre (GOC) is mandated, on behalf of the Government of Canada, to lead and support response coordination of events affecting the national interest. It is an interdepartmental response-focused asset of the Government of Canada working in support of deputy heads, departments and agencies at the national (strategic) whole-of-government level.
It brings all partners into a common environment to harmonize collective actions and abilities into efficient analysis and action.
The Government Operations Centre (GOC) has developed a Government of Canada Response Plan to COVID-19. The objective of the plan is to identify the overarching roles and responsibilities and key activities of each federal department to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 to Canada.
As of 18 Mar, PS ON FCC, PS QC FCC, PS Prairies/NWT FCC, and PS Pacific FCC are now elevated to Level 2 – Risk Assessment and Planning.
Contacts:
Prepared by: Deryck Trehearne, DG.
Approved by: Patrick Tanguy, Assistant Deputy Minister, Emergency Management and Programs Branch, 613-993-4325
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