The Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR) has released a summary of input received to its 2023 discussion paper, BC’s Modernized Emergency Management Legislation: Regulations for Local Authorities. Responses from local governments, emergency management organizations and First Nations revealed four overarching themes, including the need for provincial funding and support.
As part of the first theme, local authorities (municipalities, regional districts and Modern Treaty Nations) noted issues related to funding, staffing and access to necessary information and expertise. Provincial funding is being asked for to address emergency management requirements (e.g., risk assessments, emergency management plans, business continuity plans), staffing shortages, and to help facilitate effective consultation and cooperation. These comments align with UBCM’s long-standing request for a long-term local government funding and capacity-building framework to address new and existing emergency management responsibilities.
Local authorities also expressed the need for more information from EMCR, including guidance documents, delineation of First Nations territories, and provincial and regional disaster climate risk and resilience assessments.
Other themes noted in the summary report included:
- Request for greater flexibility in regulations, including a preference for guidance materials as opposed to prescriptive regulatory requirements.
- Importance for regulations to address the unique issues and circumstances in regional districts, such as their governance and funding mechanisms, geographic size, and additional capacity challenges.
- Need for local authority cultural safety training within the context of emergency management.
While some of the new requirements and authorities under the new Emergency and Disaster Management Act are now in force, other important duties, including many that are assigned to local authorities, will be phased in through regulation.
UBCM and EMCR have formed the Local Government Advisory Committee on EDMA Regulations (LGAC), a forum for local government input into the development of regulations. The LGAC intends to meet over the coming 12 to 18 months to inform the development of regulations for local authorities and other relevant regulations.