OTTAWA, January 24, 2005 — Federal, provincial and territorial Ministers responsible for emergency management met today and announced a number of measures to improve Canada’s emergency preparedness. In the past few years, governments and Canadians have realized more than ever that Canada is not immune to natural disasters. The challenges of ice storms, blackouts, floods, forest fires and medical emergencies such as SARS have demonstrated the need for quick and appropriate response mechanisms at the local, provincial and federal level. Governments have learned important lessons from these incidents, and commit to continue close cooperation to increase the current level of preparedness in all communities. They reaffirmed their collective commitment to better assess, manage and mitigate risks to Canadians, and ensure better emergency preparedness from coast to coast to coast. The meeting in Ottawa was co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Anne McLellan and Ontario Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Monte Kwinter. It was attended by Ministers and emergency management officials from Canada’s provinces and territories. Recognizing the importance of regular discussions among federal-provincial-territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for emergency management, Ministers agreed to establish a permanent forum and meet annually to collaborate on improving emergency management. At the meeting, Ministers agreed to an eight-point forward work plan that includes: Emergency response framework Governments will work together to improve and enhance the emergency response framework in order to harmonize the federal system so that it complements each provincial and territorial system by fall 2005. At their next meeting, officials will report back to Ministers on the progress made. Disaster assistance Officials will continue discussions aimed at reinforcing the current disaster financial assistance arrangements, and develop options for disaster financial assistance options outside of the existing Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) for review by FPT Deputy Ministers in summer 2005. Inventory of disaster assistance programs Ministers agreed to continue work aimed at creating an inventory of disaster financial assistance programs, and invited provinces and territories to link their programs to the existing federal inventory. The inventory will help applicants with the process of claiming for assistance. Ontario will be the first province to link its listing of provincial programs with the federal inventory. Disaster mitigation Officials will prepare options for the development of a National Disaster Mitigation Strategy and submit them for review by F/P/T Deputy Ministers in summer 2005. Such a strategy would aim to reduce the risks, impacts and costs associated with natural disasters such as hurricanes, ice storms and floods. Training Ministers tasked officials with reviewing and updating the Training Strategy Action Plan for 2005-2010 to ensure progressive and sustainable emergency management training in Canada. FPT Deputy Ministers will consider options in summer 2005. Exercise calendar Officials will develop a calendar of joint FPT emergency response exercises, for review by FPT Deputy Ministers in late spring or early summer 2005. Public alerting Ministers agreed to expedite the development and implementation of the National Public Alerting Strategy led by Industry Canada, with a report to FPT Deputy Ministers in summer 2005. Critical Infrastructure Protection Strategy Ministers agreed to develop the work plan for a national Critical Infrastructure Protection Strategy by summer 2005. Following the meeting, FPT Emergency Management Ministers will meet in a joint session with FPT Ministers responsible for Justice – in advance of the FPT Justice Ministers’ meeting – to discuss issues such as the current threat environment and parliamentary review of the Anti-Terrorism Act. For more information, please see the attached backgrounders or visit the website www.psepc-sppcc.gc.ca. - 30 - For further information: Alex Swann Director of Communications Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness (613) 991-2863 Andrew Hilton Communications Advisor to The Honourable Monte Kwinter Ontario Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services (416) 325-4973 / (416) 559-0259 Backgrounder Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Progress Report Canada's critical infrastructure consists of those physical and information technology facilities, networks, services and assets which, if disrupted or destroyed, would have a serious impact on the health, safety, security or economic well-being of Canadians or the effective functioning of governments in Canada. Our national critical infrastructure is made up of ten sectors: Energy and utilities (e.g. electrical power, natural gas); Communications and information technology (e.g. telecommunications, networks including the Internet); Finance (e.g. banking); Health care (e.g. hospitals, blood supply facilities); Food (e.g. safety, distribution, food industry); Water (e.g. wastewater management); Transportation (e.g. air, rail); Safety (e.g. chemical and nuclear safety, hazardous materials); Government (e.g. services, key national sites and monuments); Manufacturing (e.g. chemical industry). Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC) has recently undertaken several initiatives and activities in partnership with provinces and territories on critical infrastructure protection (CIP). For example: On November 10, 2004, PSEPC released the Government of Canada Position Paper on a National CIP Strategy. This paper is a statement of the Government of Canada's positions on key elements of a CIP strategy that will inform a national dialogue and result in the production of a Canadian strategy in the fall. To encourage a useful and productive dialogue, focused regional town halls will be held to ensure that input is provided to the strategy. Comments from provinces and territories are invited. PSEPC is also seeking input from provinces and territories for the development of exercises that will help us to better understand and deal with the challenges of protecting critical infrastructure. PSEPC has worked with and will continue to work with individual provinces and territories on the development of provincial and territorial CIP programs. PSEPC's Regional Directors and CIP Coordinators have played a key role in this area. Examples of regional initiatives include: Working with the New Brunswick Department of Public Safety to develop a provincial critical infrastructure program model that will benefit not only New Brunswick but other provinces and territories that do not have a CIP program; Working with Alberta to coordinate the Government of Canada's critical infrastructure protection strategies and the province's Counter-Terrorism Crisis Management Plan, with emphasis on information sharing and on alignment of both the provincial and national critical infrastructure sectors; Working to establish and develop partnerships between provincial government and the private sector within the framework of the Manitoba Critical Infrastructure Advisory Council; and Worked with Ontario to establish the governance structure of the Ontario Critical Infrastructure Assurance Program which transitioned from its development stage to its implementation stage. In addition, PSEPC has contributed to and produced a number of CIP tools and products to assist stakeholders. It is also working with federal departments and agencies such as Natural Resources Canada, Transport Canada , Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and with security experts in the RCMP and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service to undertake vulnerability and risk assessments for identified key critical infrastructures. PSEPC and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have established a CIP Steering Committee with specific working groups to address priority areas and establish work plans aimed at securing shared and border infrastructure. PSEPC and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) have established the Joint Infrastructure Interdependencies Research Program (JIIRP) to provide both a greater understanding of and solutions to infrastructure interdependencies. Business continuity planning (BCP) is a key component of CIP. Under the Government Security Policy, PSEPC has the responsibility to provide advice to federal departments on the preparation and maintenance of their business continuity plans. It also has a responsibility under the National Security Policy for "strengthening the testing and auditing of key capabilities and conducting assessments of other departments" in relation to business continuity planning. We have worked with the Canada School for Public Service to develop and deliver a BCP course for federal government officials which is currently being taught across Canada . This course is also available to provinces and territories. More information on critical infrastructure protection (CIP) is available on the PSEPC Web site at www.psepc-sppcc.gc.ca. Backgrounder Emergency Management Training Emergency management training is a responsibility shared by the federal and provincial governments. Federally, the Emergency Preparedness Act assigns the Minister designated for the purposes of the Act the responsibility to "provide education and training related to civil preparedness for emergencies." Accordingly, the Government of Canada delivers emergency management training through PSEPC's Canadian Emergency Preparedness College (CEPC) in Ottawa and assigns Ministers the responsibility for conducting training in relation to civil emergency plans for contingencies within or related to their area of accountability. CEPC has recently focused on specialized training for senior emergency management practitioners (police, fire, ambulance and other emergency personnel). This training has focused on the management of multi-service/agency responses to emergencies through Emergency Operations Centre Management and Emergency Site Management courses. Following the federal budget in December 2001, CEPC and federal partners also began to address chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) training for first responders. The Government of Canada is committed to cooperating with the provinces and territories in order to deliver a progressive and sustainable education and training program in support of emergency management in Canada. More information on the Canadian Emergency Preparedness College (CEPC) is available on the PSEPC Web site at www.psepc-sppcc.gc.ca. Backgrounder Federal Disaster Assistance Initiative Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC) is leading the development of the Federal Disaster Assistance Initiative (FDAI) through the establishment of a framework for responsive, coherent, horizontal disaster recovery programming composed of three parts: Part I -revised Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) There is a DFAA review in progress; PSEPC has been consulting with the provinces and territories and there is general support, for example, for establishing a clearer definition of eligible types of disasters, enhancing mitigation provisions and streamlining administrative changes. Part II -consideration of guiding principles and of new or improved disaster assistance instrument(s) to complement the DFAA, dealing with other public safety disasters (e.g. public and animal health, agriculture) The objective of complementary instruments is to stabilize economic and social activity in sectors that suffer serious disabling losses, interruptions or setbacks resulting from a natural, technological or human-generated disaster beyond those involving physical damages. An FDAI Core Group of federal officials has been established and progress is being made on developing suitable arrangements and instruments for Canada. Part III -a review of the range of existing federal programs, policies, legal and statutory tools available (e.g. employment insurance, tax relief, loans) to be applied to disaster assistance and recovery, and the creation of an inventory of these initiatives and tools A preliminary inventory of federal programs and tools applicable to disaster response and recovery has been created and was posted on the PSEPC Web site on October 26, 2004 . Departments represented on this first iteration of the inventory are PSEPC, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada , the Canada Revenue Agency and Health Canada . Further development and maintenance will continue with other federal departments and agencies. Work continues toward establishing an integrated, national inventory within the next 12 to 18 months. PSEPC intends to engage the provinces and territories in comprehensive consultations on these issues over the course of the winter and spring 2005. More information on the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) is available on the PSEPC Web site at www.psepc-sppcc.gc.ca. Backgrounder Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) Overview In the event of a large-scale disaster, the Government of Canada provides financial assistance to provincial and territorial governments through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA). When response and recovery costs exceed what individual provinces or territories could reasonably be expected to bear on their own, the DFAA provide the Government of Canada with a fair and equitable means of assisting provincial and territorial governments in meeting such expenditures. Since the inception of the program in 1970, the Government of Canada has paid out more than $1.5 billion in post-disaster assistance to help provinces and territories offset the costs of response and of returning infrastructure and personal property to pre-disaster condition. Recent examples include payments for the 1997 Red River flood in Manitoba , the 1998 ice storm in Quebec and Ontario and the 2003 British Columbia forest fires. The DFAA are administered by Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC). Roles and responsibilities The provincial or territorial governments design, develop and deliver disaster financial assistance, deciding the amounts and types of assistance that will be provided to those who have experienced losses. The Government of Canada places no restrictions on provincial or territorial governments in this regard - they are free to put in place the disaster financial assistance appropriate to the particular disaster and the circumstances. The PSEPC Regional Directors (RDs) are the Government of Canada representatives who work with the provincial and territorial officials. These RDs coordinate Government of Canada participation in damage assessment and in the review of provincial or territorial claims for reimbursement of eligible response and recovery costs. Other federal departments and agencies may be asked for assistance and advice in determining what constitutes reasonable costs for recovery and restoration. Eligibility and reimbursement of expenses Through the DFAA, assistance is paid directly to the province or territory ( not to the individuals or communities) and is limited to reimbursement for eligible expenses incurred as defined in nationally applied Guidelines. The percentage of eligible costs reimbursed under the DFAA is determined by the established cost-sharing formula. The Government of Canada may provide advance payments to provincial and territorial governments as the response costs are estimated and as the reconstruction of major infrastructure proceeds and funds are expended under the provincial/territorial disaster assistance program. A province or territory may request Government of Canada disaster financial assistance when eligible expenditures exceed $1 per capita (based on provincial or territorial population). Payments are made after provincial/territorial expenditures have been audited. For more details, please consult Appendix A. Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to, rescue operations, restoring public works and infrastructure to their pre-disaster condition as well as replacing or repairing basic, essential personal property of individuals, small businesses and farmsteads. For details on eligible expenses, please consult Appendix B. Appendix A Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA)per capita sharing formula Eligible Provincial/Territorial Expenditures Government of Canada Share First $1 per capita Nil Next $2 per capita 50% Next $2 per capita 75% Remainder 90% Example: For a disaster in a province with a population of 1 million where the total eligible expenses for responding to and recovering from a disaster are costed at $10 million, the table below shows how eligible expenditures would be cost-shared through the DFAA. Eligible Expenditures Provincial or Territorial Government Government of Canada First $1 per capita (100% provincial/territorial) $1 million Nil Next $2 per capita (50%) $1 million $1 million Next $2 per capita (75%) $500,000 $1,500,000 Remainder (90%) $500,000 $4,500,000 TOTAL $3 million $7 million Appendix B Examples of expenses that may be eligible for reimbursement Rescue, transportation, emergency food, shelter and clothing Emergency provision of essential community services Security measures including the removal of valuable assets and hazardous materials from a threatened area Costs of measures taken in the immediate pre-disaster period intended to reduce the impact of the disaster Repairs to public buildings and related equipment Repairs to public infrastructure such as roads and bridges Removal of damaged structures constituting a threat to public safety Restoration, replacement or repairs to an individual's dwelling (principal residence only) Restoration, replacement or repairs to essential personal furnishings, appliances and clothing Restoration of small businesses and farmsteads including buildings and equipment Costs of damage inspection, appraisal and clean up Examples of expenses that would NOT be eligible for reimbursement Repairs to a non-primary dwelling (e.g. cottage, ski chalet or hobby farm) Repairs that are eligible for reimbursement through insurance Costs that are covered in whole or in part by another government program (e.g. crop insurance) Normal operating expenses of a government department or agency Assistance to large businesses and crown corporations Loss of income and economic recovery Forest fire fighting More information on the DFAA is available on the PSEPC Web site at www.psepc-sppcc.gc.ca. Backgrounder Canadian National Exercise Program Today's increasingly complex threat environment, which includes natural hazards, health threats and potential terrorist attacks involving weapons of mass destruction, demands an exercise program that addresses both crisis and consequence management in order to reflect the "all-hazards" approach. Any Canadian response to an incident depends upon the capabilities and skill sets of many different organizations and, to an extraordinary degree, on interagency and intergovernmental coordination and cooperation. The requirement to work interdepartmentally and cross-jurisdictionally is clearly recognized by practitioners, and regardless of the level of government originating any exercise initiative, exercises are becoming more complex with larger numbers of participants representing key stakeholders The National Security Policy identifies the development of an exercise program as a priority, committing the Government of Canada to "regular national and international exercises involving civilian and military resources to assess the adequacy of the national system against various emergency scenarios." In addition, Canada has made commitments under the 1999 Canada-U.S. Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Guidelines and Point 30 of the Smart Border Accord to engage with the U.S. in joint counter-terrorism training activities, including exercises. Canada 's continued participation in the TOPOFF series of American exercises demonstrates our fulfilment of these commitments. The National Exercise Division has been established within the Preparedness and Recovery Directorate of the Emergency Management and National Security Branch of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada and is developing a National Exercise Program (NEP). The Division is working with domestic partners on the development, implementation and delivery of the NEP; leading and coordinating participation in multi-jurisdictional domestic and international exercises; and establishing an "exercise business cycle" that ensures best practices and lessons learned are accessible to partners and are subsequently used to improve emergency response processes, procedures and policy. The development of the NEP will require unprecedented cooperation on trans-Canada and international levels to ensure that national objectives are met, resources are used effectively and response capabilities are advanced as a result of lessons learned. Early in 2005, the National Exercise Division will be seeking provincial and territorial input towards a phased development of key dimensions of the NEP, including the preferred method and timing of consultation as well as key products to support the program. Backgrounder Joint Emergency Preparedness Program (JEPP) The JEPP was established in October 1980 to enhance the national capability to manage all types of emergencies and ensure a reasonably uniform emergency response and recovery capacity across Canada . JEPP is administered by Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC). The Government of Canada, in consultation and co-operation with provincial and territorial governments, contributes to emergency preparedness and critical infrastructure protection (CIP) projects and initiatives. Whether it is through training or the purchase of emergency response equipment, for emergency planning or for capacity building, this shared investment is aimed at reducing injuries, loss of human life and property damage as well as assuring the continuation of our critical services in an emergency. Since the inception of JEPP, the Government of Canada has committed over $125 million to the provinces and territories. Currently, approximately $5 million are made available annually for emergency preparedness and critical infrastructure protection projects from coast to coast. In addition, through Federal Budget 2001, the Government of Canada allocated an extra $10 million over two fiscal years ($5 million in each of 2001-2002 and 2002-2003) to support provinces and territories in building their response capacity for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) incidents; and an extra $20 million over a six-year period (2001-2002 to 2006-2007) to help provinces and territories expedite the development of an urban search and rescue (USAR) response capacity. JEPP projects are proposed annually by the provincial and territorial governments and selected for funding based on national and regional priorities. Projects are cost-shared and the Government of Canada's contribution depends on the nature of the project, other projects under consideration and the amount of funding available. To be eligible for Government of Canada funding, JEPP projects must: have a clear objective that supports priorities aimed at enhancing the national, provincial and territorial emergency response capability; have an agreed upon, identifiable beginning and end; include a statement of the nature and extent of federal involvement and take into account how federal participation will receive visibility and recognition; include a provincial or territorial commitment to the project through funding or in-kind contribution. The Government of Canada's contribution becomes payable only after the project has been completed and the invoices for costs incurred have been paid and submitted by the provincial or territorial governments for reimbursement. JEPP funds may not be used to finance events or equipment purchases of departments or agencies for activities considered to be part of their normal responsibilities. Other federal departments are frequently consulted when JEPP projects relate to the interests of those departments. A JEPP manual, which provides a detailed description of the program, is available on the PSEPC Web site at www.psepc-sppcc.gc.ca. Backgrounder National Emergency Response System (NERS) The Government of Canada is designing and implementing an all hazards emergency response framework, called the National Emergency Response System (NERS). The system is being developed to ensure that Canada is prepared and able to respond to all emerging, imminent or occurring national emergencies and threats to ensure the protection and safety of Canadians. NERS will provide effective coordination of the large number of national players who must act in the event of national emergencies. Background : Based on recent emergencies, including the terrorist attacks of September 11 th, 2001 and the Ice Storm 1998 ice storm, the Canadian emergency management community recognizes the importance of a national response framework. The Government of Canada has been leading, as a priority, the development of a national framework, called the National Emergency Response System (NERS ) that which will ensure a harmonized federal and coordinated national nationwide response to all types of national emergencies (cyber, national security or natural disasters). The NERS, which is supported in principle by federal, provincial and territorial partners, Based is based upon the tenets of the Incident Command System (ICS). The ICS has been proven over the past decade to be a highly effective emergency response mechanism. The system supports effective national leadership and maximizes our national capability to identify, plan for and respond to threats or emergencies that may affect Canada's national interest and the safety and security of its citizens. Specifically, NERS enhances Canada's capability for: incident identification; warning and notification; information sharing; incident analysis; planning; operations Coordination coordination. Summary : Through the development and implementation of the NERS, the Government of Canada is continuously increasing its ability to ensure the safety and security of Canada and its citizens. As different threats and emergencies arise, whether they be natural or deliberately caused events or disasters, the National Emergency Response System is designed to coordinate federal actions and provide an integrated and complementary national response. Backgrounder National Disaster Mitigation Strategy (NDMS) Disaster mitigation is defined as sustained or long-term actions to reduce or eliminate the risk and impacts associated with natural disasters such as floods, ice storms, hurricanes, earthquakes and landslides. In the event of a disaster, mitigation can facilitate emergency response and recovery activities. There are two main types of disaster mitigation measures - structural and non-structural. Examples of structural mitigation measures include construction of floodways and dykes, reinforcement or raising of homes to minimize vulnerability to natural hazards such as floods, earthquakes or tornados. Non-structural measures include hazard mapping and risk assessments, insurance and public awareness programs, enforcement of building codes, standards and legislation to encourage a culture of prevention and vulnerability reduction. The Government of Canada, through Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC) is developing a National Disaster Mitigation Strategy (NDMS) that seeks to curtail the trend toward increasing risks, impacts and costs associated with natural disasters. The NDMS will be linked to other Government of Canada emergency management and non-emergency management initiatives to encourage a more comprehensive approach to disaster risk reduction and to foster a disaster-resilient Canadian society. Consultations with federal departments, provinces, territories and other stakeholders on the scope of the NDMS were undertaken in 1998 and 2002-2003. These consultations yielded a preliminary NDMS framework and highlighted the need for national leadership and partnerships, improved hazards research and risk assessments, modernized emergency management legislation and policies, public awareness, new resources and citizen engagement in this area. PSEPC's approach to disaster mitigation involves collaborating with other departments and agencies and all stakeholders to influence, encourage and support incorporation of disaster reduction measures into existing and new Government of Canada initiatives. Progress is being made in several areas, including emergency management legislation, partnerships, climate change impacts and adaptation, hazards research and risk assessments . More information on the development of a National Disaster Mitigation Strategy (NDMS) is available on the PSEPC Web site at www.psepc-sppcc.gc.ca.
