Community Emergency Managers: Maximize Impact with B.C.’s New Indigenous Engagement Funding

Community Emergency Managers: Maximize Impact with B.C.’s New Indigenous Engagement Funding

In the face of escalating climate-related emergencies, the Province of B.C.’s recent allocation of $18 million for Indigenous engagement is a critical opportunity for communities to increase preparedness through consultation and collaboration and meet new emergency management legislative requirements.

Yes, tsunamis can happen in coastal BC. How is your business preparing?

Yes, tsunamis can happen in coastal BC. How is your business preparing?

When we think of tsunamis, tropical locations are more likely to come to mind. Who can forget the most devasting one in history, when in 2004 a Boxing Day earthquake in the Indian Ocean caused tsunamis across south and southeast Asia.

Canada's costliest catastrophe is flooding. Is your business prepared?

Canada's costliest catastrophe is flooding. Is your business prepared?

Floods are the costliest natural disaster in Canada in terms of property damage. Of the top 10 most expensive natural disasters in terms of insurance payouts in Canada, floods are responsible for four.2 We all remember the November 2021 atmospheric river in BC. The Insurance Bureau of Canada states that the insured damage of this event was $675 million.

How Transportation is Vital in Emergency Management and Business Continuity

How Transportation is Vital in Emergency Management and Business Continuity

Transportation plays a key and invaluable role for company operations and is a vital element of emergency management. It provides the service that links companies to their suppliers, customers and employees. The consequences suffered when transportation services and infrastructure are impacted by a disaster are far reaching.

B.C.’s New Bill 31 – Emergency and Disaster Management Act

B.C.’s New Bill 31 – Emergency and Disaster Management Act

After almost 30 years since the last substantial update (1993) to B.C.’s current emergency management legislation (the Emergency Program Act), the B.C. NDP introduced new legislation for a 1st reading on October 3rd, 2023, the first day of the fall legislative session. This comes as the Province of B.C. continues to respond to and begins recovery from the most destructive and most expensive wildfire season in provincial history.

How the supply chain can be impacted in a disaster

How the supply chain can be impacted in a disaster

Transportation is considered critical infrastructure for communities and their economies. The supply chain - how goods and services are transported along routes and channels - is like the main artery of a community. But when a disaster strikes and compromises transportation infrastructure, how can communities and businesses minimize the impacts?

Emergency Management for Major Events

Emergency Management for Major Events

The FIFA World Cup, the most prestigious tournament in international football, captivates billions of fans worldwide. Beyond the exhilarating matches and roaring crowds, a critical aspect of hosting such a massive event is ensuring the safety and security of players, officials, fans, and host communities. There are multiple unique challenges for emergency planners when it comes to hosting global major events.

How to prepare your business to deal with an emergency this summer

How to prepare your business to deal with an emergency this summer

Summer is not without its share of hazards due to the hot weather. From storms triggering electrical outages to droughts and heat domes that can contribute to wildfires (which in turn can cause poor air quality), all these hazards have the potential to cause detrimental impacts to your organization.

Is Your Community Prepared for Flooding?

Is Your Community Prepared for Flooding?

Flooding is one of the most common, pervasive, and costliest natural hazards in Canada, with a history of causing major disasters. The risk of flooding tends to change based on the season as it can be caused by snow melt, sudden and aggressive rain storms, rain on snow events, or debris in waterways causing overtopping of banks or sudden redirection of the waterway. Recovering from flooding can be challenging, particularly as insurance coverage may be limited, extraordinarily costly, or unavailable depending on the type of flooding (i.e., sewer backup versus overland flooding).

Is Your Community Prepared for the Wildfire Season?

Is Your Community Prepared for the Wildfire Season?

It is early May 2023, and the news in Canada is already filled with stories and images of large-scale wildfires burning near communities. These wildfires are causing evacuations, destroying property, and disrupting daily life for thousands of people. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) predicts the severity of the wildfire season will be "well above average" for most of Western Canada. 

ENSURING CANADA’S CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM IS READY AND RESILIENT

ENSURING CANADA’S CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM IS READY AND RESILIENT

Can you imagine what would happen if an incident such as a natural disaster compromised our transportation, food or even energy Critical Infrastructure (CI) systems? In November 2021, British Columbians didn’t have to. It became reality when an unprecedented amount of rain from an atmospheric river destroyed several highways, essentially cutting off access routes in and out of the south coast of the province.