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IAEM-CANADA GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
Committee Roster | Documents | News & Resources
 IAEM Risk Communications Recommendations to Elliot Lake Inquiry (17 Oct 2012) IAEM-Canada comments were sent to the Elliot Lake Commission of Inquiry.
Letter from Vic Towes, PC, QC, MP, Ministry of Public Safety, to John Saunders, IAEM-Canada President, regarding recently announced cuts to emergency management programs (17 Sept 2012)
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Building Resilience Against Terrorism: Canada's Counter-Terrorism Strategy represents Canada’s first counter-terrorism strategy. The document presents the basic nature and scope of the perceived threat, as well as the principles and elements that will be used to prioritize and evaluate the Government’s counter-terrorism activities to protect Canada, Canadians and Canadian interests. (posted 08 Mar 2012)
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The Federal Emergency Response Plan describes the responsibilities for the coordination and harmonization of federal departmental response to emergencies. (posted 08 Mar 2012)
- A Strategy for Emergency Management Training in Canada 2010-2015, is the product of the federal/provincial/territorial (FPT) review and update of the previous Strategy 2005 - 2010. The strategy seeks to maintain progressive and sustainable training activities and projects in support of emergency management in Canada. It is based on the principles of collaboration, providing the right training to the right people, avoiding duplication, opportunities for teamwork, sharing of training information and best practices, and respect for the unique needs of each government.
- The purpose of the Emergency Management Planning Guide 2010-2011, is to assist federal officials, managers and coordinators responsible for emergency management (EM) planning. The Guide includes a Blueprint, a Strategic Emergency Management Plan (SEMP) template, and supporting step-by-step instructions, tools and tips to develop and maintain a comprehensive SEMP—an overarching plan that establishes a federal government institution's objectives, approach and structure, which generally sets out how the institution will assist with coordinated federal emergency management, including response.
- The 2011 revised edition of An Emergency Management Framework for Canada reflects recent developments in the emergency management field to strengthen its relevance to governments. The Framework describes the fundamentals of emergency management and reinforces the commitment of complementary responsibilities among governments and supports improvements to emergency management in Canada.
- The National Emergency Response System (NERS) identifies federal, provincial and territorial interactions within the common areas of response activities and facilitates cross-jurisdictional coordination and decision making to ensure an efficient response to domestic emergencies.
- The Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives (CBRNE) Resilience Strategy and Action Plan for Canada, will guide governments to better prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from any CBRNE event. This strategy and action plan will coordinate CBRNE activities and is a result of extensive national consultations with emergency responders, municipalities, provinces, territories and within the federal government.
- The Strategy for Communications Interoperability and Action Plan for Canada. This strategy identifies key priorities to enhance governance, standard operating procedures, planning, technology, training, exercises, and usage aimed at improving the voice and data communications for emergency responders - both day to day and during times of emergencies affecting more than one jurisdiction.
- Additional information on these or related publications can be found on the Public Safety Canada site.
- The work being done in support of a Provincial/Territorial Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Emergency Management Assistance. The adoption of the MOU will enhance emergency management relationships among the provinces and territories by providing a framework for inter-jurisdictional cooperation and access to required resources before, during and after emergency events;
- The development of an emergency management strategy in support of Aboriginal communities in Canada. This work is being done in collaboration with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, the provinces and territories toward development of guidelines that will form the basis of emergency management agreements;
- The development of a robust national public alerting system to rapidly warn the public of imminent or unfolding dangers;
- Discussions that include the issue of mitigation funding;
- The Multi-Agency Situational Awareness System (MASAS) Project, which is a multi-jurisdictional initiative in collaboration with the First Responder and emergency management communities, seeks to “improve situational awareness by mapping incidents and supporting risk assessment, alerting, coordination, infrastructure protection and recovery”; and
- The initiative to establish a multi-agency Incident Command System (ICS) Canada Management Board and Working Groups in support of a national all hazard Incident Command System (ICS Canada) that envisions a single standard ICS curriculum and training in order to deliver maximum interoperability for safety, efficiency and economies.
(Update posted 08 Mar 2012) Members of the IAEM Canada community have been active participants in the development of this initiative, which first began in April 2010, and is now known under the name ICS/IMS Canada. Specifically, the initiative seeks to promote and improve functional interoperability between all response organizations and jurisdictional authorities, both domestically and internationally; includes participation from a broad-spectrum of public and private stakeholder representatives; addresses tactical and operational-level issues; and, is recognized as a critical component for achieving and sustaining strategic level Federal/Provincial/Territorial Public Safety and Security objectives. Considerable progress has been made with regard to this initiative in recent months. Specifically, a read-in briefing package was provided to the Senior Officials Responsible for Emergency Management (SOREM) in October 2011, with presentations also being made to the SOREM Interoperability Working Group in December 2011, and to the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Tri-Services Emergency Management Committee, also in December 2011, at which IAEM Canada was also represented. Draft ICS/IMS Canada Strategy and Action Plan documents have been produced and are currently being circulated for comment across stakeholder communities; these documents are also available for viewing by visiting the Capability Based Planning (CBP) Pilot Project website under the Incident Management Working Group. In coming months ICS/IMS Canada will be pursuing presentations to each of the Tri-Services Association Annual General Meetings (AGM), and a presentation is also being planned for the 2012 IAEM Canada AGM. The objective of ICS/IMS Canada is to work with and encourage the active engagement of the Association memberships to build a common and inclusive way forward that supports a standards-based coordinated approach with regard to ICS/IMS policy and program development in Canada.
- (Updated 08 Mar 2012) At the National Roundtable for Disaster Risk Reduction held in October 2011, the Honourable Vic Toews, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety, unveiled two online tools to help Canadians prepare for emergencies. The first, the enhanced Canadian Disaster Database, will help Canadians learn about risks affecting their regions. The second, a mobile-friendly Get Prepared site, gives Canadians mobile access to steps they can take to prepare for and to cope during emergencies.
“The Government of Canada is working to reduce risks by ensuring all Canadians have access to information to keep them safe prior to and during emergencies,” said Minister Toews. “In using the Canadian Disaster Database, Canadians can learn about risks that have historically affected their region, allowing them to prepare for emergencies. Recent disasters have demonstrated the value of mobile technology in getting information to those in need.”
Public Safety is also offering Canadians tools to help them better know their risks, and to be better prepared to respond when disasters occur in their communities. The Canadian Disaster Database provides Canadians with a wealth of information about disasters since 1900, from floods and forest fires to pandemics and earthquakes. The database has been enhanced to allow Canadians access to this information with new search categories, which are easy to use and displayed on an interactive map.
The new mobile device-friendly Get Prepared website gives Canadians access to information on the steps they can take to stay safe from anywhere, at anytime. The mobile site includes convenient features, such as emailing an emergency kit shopping list to family and friends. Site content was developed with input from Public Safety Canada’s “72 Hours” campaign partners, including the Canadian Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, and The Salvation Army, as well as provincial and territorial emergency management organizations.
The National Roundtable on Disaster Risk Reduction is a gathering of disaster risk experts and stakeholders from all levels of government, non-government organizations, academia, and the private sector, who are focussed on better protecting Canadians by reducing disaster risks. Since the launch of Canada’s National Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction last year, stakeholders have been working to integrate the disaster risk reduction concept in policies, plans and programs across Canada.
- IAEM Canada is partnered with the Chemical, Biological, Radiological-Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Research and Technology Initiative (CRTI), a program within the Defence Research Development Canada (DRDC) Centre for Security Science (CSS). The CSS represents a joint endeavour between Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) and Public Safety Canada. The Centre is part of the Government of Canada’s approach to address national public safety and security objectives; its goal being to deliver timely and relevant Science and Technology (S&T) research in support of a National all-hazards approach to natural and accidental disasters, and terrorist and criminal acts. The Centre’s work is based on a collaborative approach that engages expertise from academia, together with government (federal, provincial, and municipal levels), industry scientists, responder and operational communities, and relevant professional Associations.
- The Capability Based Planning (CBP) Pilot Project is an initiative which seeks to develop and validate a variety of Science and Technology (S&T) tools as part of an iterative process toward an integrated and sustainable all-hazard risk assessment and management process. The Pilot Project includes work in support of the development and validation of: a Canadian National Incident Management System (CNIMS); the development and validation of a Target Capability List, and a Capability-Based Investment Model, to name but a few of the Project’s current efforts.
The Capability-Based Investment Model that is being developed is based on three fundamental precepts: sound understanding of threats, hazards, trends and other drivers; robust risk assessments based on those threats and hazards of concern; and the conduct of capability analysis based on a set of full-spectrum scenarios that help frame the assessment and decision-making process. Capability and investment options are then considered toward balanced investments that are able to meet identified capability gaps and/or priorities. Some of the areas that the Project is currently focused on include:
- Risk Assessment and Priority Setting
- Explosives-Threat and Capabilities
- Medical and Casualty Management
- Public Confidence and Psycho-Social Behavioural Factors
- National Security Investigation Capabilities
- Safety of the Food System
- Detection and Identification
- Emerging Innovative CBRNE Science and Technology
- Exploitation and Sustainment of Investments
- IAEM Canada has members that contribute to a variety of the CBP Working Groups, as well as other related CSS initiatives such as the Public Security Technical Program (PSTP), which examines challenges associated with such issues as: Critical Infrastructure Protection; Surveillance, Intelligence, and Interdiction; and, Emergency Management Systems and Interoperability.
- In addition to the IAEM Canada Forum that is available through the DRDC CSS Capability Based Planning (CBP) Pilot Project website discussed above, IAEM Canada members may also be interested in the Partnership for Safer Communities site, PTSC-Online Forum. PTSC-Online is a virtual on-line collaborative community focusing on issues relevant to Canadian emergency management, business continuity and critical infrastructure protection. Both Forums offer quality information to stay abreast of current issues and trends across the spectrum of public/private and NGO, EM-related communities of practice.
- IAEM Canada has also sought to contribute to the development of a collaborative community through the Canadian Risks and Hazards Network (CRHNet) Newsletter; IAEM Canada article submissions to both the Fall 2010 and Winter 2011 editions of the HazNet Newletter are available at the link provided.
- (Updated 08 Mar 2012) On 14 March 2010, the Government of Canada announced its decision to dedicate 10MHz of the 700MHz band spectrum for the exclusive use of the public safety community. Details about this decision are available here. The Honourable Christian Paradis, P.C., MP, Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture), has also indicated that the Government of Canada will be seeking further input from interested stakeholders in a forthcoming consultation process regarding the dedication of an additional 10 MHz of D Block spectrum that has been requested for the public safety community. Achieving the full 20MHz of D Block spectrum would mirror recent decisions made in the US in this regard, and would thereby support the development of an interoperable Canada-wide broadband network, as well as facilitate cross-border interoperability.
The recognized champions in support of this initiative have included the Public Safety Interoperability Development Office, Defence and Research Development Canada, Centre for Security Science, the Canadian Police Research Centre, the Senior Officials Responsible for Emergency Management (SOREM), Industry Canada, the tri-service organizations, the Action 700 advisory panel funded and chaired by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs and the Emergency Medical Services Chiefs of Canada, as well as the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA), and the Canadian Interoperable Technology Interest Group (CITIG).
IAEM Canada and individual members of the Association have also contributed to this and related interoperability initiatives. However, given that IAEM Canada is not an advocacy organization, the Association’s support and involvement of such initiatives has sought to remain consistent with its mandate, namely to educate and promote a way forward that is consistent with the principles of emergency management and to provide the membership with the necessary information on issues of importance to the advancement of the emergency management profession. While remaining true to the mission and mandate of the Association, opportunities still remain for IAEM Canada and its individual members to contribute to the development of a national framework to support a fully interoperable public safety community.
The Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA) has announced it will be holding a two-day public consultation in early May to share and discuss a recently drafted Charter of Incorporation for a new national agency whose mission would be to develop and operate a national interoperable public safety wireless broadband network. The Charter was developed in consultation with federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments, as well as tri-service responder representatives; the draft includes information regarding the mandate, financing and business models, governance, as well as roles and responsibilities. Details regarding the two-day public consultation in early May, as well as copies of the Charter are anticipated to be available for distribution by the end of March through CATA.
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(Updated 08 Mar 2012) February 17, 2012, marked the day that US Congress agreed to allocate the D Block to public safety and support the development of a mission-critical, nationwide public safety broadband network. Details regarding the press conference are available from the live webcast or through the link at www.citig.ca. This is viewed as good news for Canada as public safety partners continue to raise awareness about securing the corresponding block of spectrum for Canadian responders.
A U.S. report titled The Economic Benefits of New Spectrum for Wireless Broadband provides details regarding the substantial economic value of nearly doubling the amount of spectrum available for wireless broadband over ten years and deploying a nationwide interoperable wireless network for public safety. The report is available at www.citig.ca.
Members of Canada’s Tri-Services Special Purpose Committee on 700 MHz Broadband for Mission Critical Public Safety Data delivered an update on on February 24, 2012, regarding the Canadian position. Visit www.action700.ca to download a copy of the presentation.
- Since November 2010, there has been considerable activity resulting from the Industry Canada consultation process to determine future use of Canada’s 700 MHz broadband spectrum. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP), Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC), and the Emergency Medical Services Chiefs of Canada (EMSCC), have initiated a Tri-Service lead campaign representing the larger emergency management community with the objective being to secure a portion of the 700 MHz broadband for the use of emergency responders for public safety and security purposes. In January, Provincial and Territorial Ministers expressed support for the Tri-services’ lead initiative as it offers significant interoperability enhancement potential. The Press Release from the Minister’s Conference noted that “the use of the 700 MHz spectrum would link public safety and security stakeholder communities across Canada and along the Canada-U.S. border, while promoting innovation and Canada’s digital economy.” Details about the consultation process, formal submissions, reports and supporting documentation relating to the 700 MHz Broadband for Public Safety Campaign can be found by visiting the following web-links:
Similar discussions are also taking place in the United States regarding a 700 MHz public safety broadband network. Recently Presidential support was given to allocate the D Block to public safety; this announcement was seen as a big step forward for First Responder communities in the US. Given that developments in the US will also influence the dynamic on the Canadian initiative, particularly because of Canada’s need/desire for interoperability with the US on public safety, security, and emergency management, IAEM Canada members are encouraged to visit The Emergency Response Interoperability Center website for more detailed information on how Americans are organizing themselves relative to this issue. The website offers a wide variety of information and background resources relevant to the establishment of a 700 MHz public safety broadband network in the US.
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