The Province has introduced regulations for local authorities, which have been added to the Emergency and Disaster Management Regulation. Most of the new regulations for local authorities will not come into effect until January 2027, consistent with local government requests for additional preparation time.
Regulations address key local government responsibilities under the Emergency and Disaster Management Act (EDMA), and include the following provisions:
• A framework (reviewed and approved by the UBCM Executive) for ongoing consultation regarding the Province’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan.
• Broad rules respecting the establishment of multi-jurisdictional emergency management organizations.
• Rules for developing, reviewing and publishing emergency management plans that meet requirements set out in the EDMA.
• Rules for developing and reviewing business continuity plans that meet requirements set out in the EDMA.
• A narrower scope for risk assessment and emergency management planning requirements for regional districts that, among other things, excludes Crown land and private managed forest land.
Two years ago, the EMCR-UBCM Local Government Advisory Committee on EDMA Regulations (LGAC) was established as a forum to provide input into the development of these regulations. Issues raised by the Advisory Committee were considered as part of a series of local government webinars hosted in April 2025.
The primary issue that remains outstanding for local governments is the need for a long-term funding and capacity building framework. UBCM has continued to raise this issue with the Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness and Provincial officials, most recently as part of annual Advocacy Days meetings between MLAs and the UBCM Executive.