📋 Tender Overview
Under B.C.’s new emergency management legislation, people and communities are safer and better prepared for the increasingly severe emergencies and disasters the province is experiencing due to climate change.
The work of an expert task force on emergencies is also well underway and will reinforce the legislation by providing action-oriented recommendations in advance of the 2024 wildfire season. B.C.’s newly enshrined Emergency and Disaster Management Act is focused on disaster risk reduction and enhanced emergency preparedness, and recognizes Indigenous Peoples’ inherent rights of self-government in relation to emergency management.
“In B.C., summers are getting hotter, winters are getting more unpredictable, and flooding is becoming more severe. The new Emergency and Disaster Management Act places a greater emphasis on mitigating the impacts of emergencies before they happen,” said George Heyman, acting Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, and Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. “We’re working with First Nations and local governments to ensure our collective readiness against climate-related hazards, but time is of the essence. That’s why we’re providing funding to help communities put Indigenous engagement requirements in the act into motion.”
The new act brings in a number of changes that make it the most comprehensive and forward-looking emergency management legislation in Canada. Some of these changes include:
increasing emphasis on disaster risk reduction and shifting from a response focus to all four phases of emergency management (mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery);
implementing a need for climate-informed risk assessments by provincial ministries, local authorities, critical infrastructure owners and public-sector agencies to better understand and prepare for the hazards communities face;
recognizing Indigenous Peoples as true partners in emergency management and establishing a framework for agreements between First Nations and other authorities that can help advance shared decision-making and co-ordination.
By working together, communities can be better prepared for emergencies and can more effectively co-ordinate response efforts. Guided by the United Nations Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, the new Emergency and Disaster Management Act includes engagement provisions that require municipalities and regional districts to consult and co-operate with Indigenous governing bodies and incorporate Indigenous knowledge and cultural safety across emergency management practices.
To support this work, the Province is providing $18 million to communities to consult and collaborate in advance of emergency events. The funding is intended to:
support relationship-building across jurisdictions through consultation and co-operation with Indigenous governing bodies;
ensure the incorporation of Indigenous knowledge and cultural safety across emergency management practices;
support policy improvements that reflect the lived experience of Indigenous Peoples and;
address the disproportionate effects on Indigenous Peoples during emergency events.
Under the act, municipalities and regional districts must include available Indigenous knowledge in their approach to emergency management, ensuring this knowledge contributes to actions that are taken before, during and after emergencies.
“It is critical for local governments and authorities to fully understand our inherent rights and jurisdiction in relation to emergency management,” said Robert Phillips, First Nations Summit political executive. “We welcome this new funding to support First Nations and local authorities’ engagement as an essential and necessary component to the implementation of the act. First Nations governments are in full support of building strong relationships and open communication regarding emergency planning, prevention, response and recovery, with their neighbouring authorities and governments.”
Indigenous knowledge is based on thousands of years of accumulated experiences and can provide expertise and insight into how to reduce disaster risk and manage emergencies. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction has recognized that local Indigenous knowledge is a valuable contributor to planning and decision-making in emergency management.
“With the climate crisis rapidly escalating, it is critical that First Nations are supported to be full partners in decision-making about our territories,” said Chief Don Tom, vice-president of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs. “Engagement on legislation and regulations is incredibly expensive and requires legal and technical capacity, and the funding announced today will help us participate.”
Terry Teegee, Regional Chief of the BC Assembly of First Nations, said: “The Chiefs in B.C. recently supported the First Nations Disaster Risk Reduction Action Plan that guides priorities for improving emergency management jurisdiction and services by First Nations. B.C. and local governments must respect and implement First Nations priorities, laws and policies. The climate emergency affects First Nations disproportionately more than any other people and we have only seen inadequate investments in all pillars of emergency management. All new regulations require First Nations to co-draft, co-develop and reach consent. We applaud the Province’s efforts to improve emergency management in B.C.”
Public engagement is underway on future regulations, including for local authorities and post-emergency financial assistance. People are encouraged to share their experiences and feedback on Disaster Financial Assistance to help inform new regulations for people recovering from a disaster. Engagement is open until Jan. 31, 2024.
