Emergency Preparedness Week 2023 Concludes

From: Public Safety Canada

News release

May 13, 2023
Ottawa, Ontario          

Ensuring that Canadians are prepared for extreme weather events and other emergencies and increasing our collective resilience continues to be a priority for the Government of Canada.

Today, the Honourable Bill Blair, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, reflected on Emergency Preparedness Week, an annual reminder for Canadians that we all have a role to play when it comes to emergency preparedness, and how we can each do our part to be ready for any emergency situation. Minister Blair and Parliamentary Secretary Stéphane Lauzon launched the week with a video message to Canadians.

Over the past few weeks, Canadians have witnessed wildfires and floods in communities across Canada. This serves as a stark reminder of how quickly these emergencies can develop and the importance of preparing for them.

This week, Minister Blair undertook a number of significant engagements to bring awareness to the importance of emergency readiness and resilience, including through the release of Canada’s first-ever public National Risk Profile, which provides a national picture of disaster risks facing in Canada, and the existing capabilities and resources in our emergency management system to address them.

Over the course of the week, emergency management organizations, volunteers, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, Indigenous partners, stakeholders, and Canadians joined the conversation online to share resources and personal tips on how to be prepared for an emergency.

For more information and resources, visit the Get Prepared webpage.

Quotes

“As Emergency Preparedness Week 2023 comes to a close, I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to all first responders and those working in emergency management and search and rescue. These brave individuals are there for Canadians each and every day, and have continued to step up for all of us in the face of recent wildfires, flooding, and hurricanes. This year’s theme, Be Prepared. Know your Risks, is an important reminder to Canadians to learn about the risks in their communities and be prepared to take action.”

-   The Honourable Bill Blair, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness

Quick facts

  • Emergency Preparedness Week is in its 28th year and happens annually the first full week of May.

  • The week-long public education effort is led by Public Safety Canada in collaboration with partners at various orders of federal, provincial and territorial governments, as well as Indigenous, non-governmental and private organizations.

  • This year’s theme “Be Prepared. Know your Risks,” encourages Canadians to understand the risks in their area and learn what actions they can take to protect themselves and their families.

Associated links

Contacts

Annie Cullinan
Director of Communications
Office of the President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness
Annie.Cullinan@kpc-cpr.gc.ca

Media Relations
Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657
media@ps-sp.gc.ca

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