Advancing a Pan-Canadian Civilian Response Capacity
What We Heard Report
Executive Summary
In the winter of 2024, Public Safety Canada (PS) engaged with the broader emergency management (EM) community on the advancement of a pan-Canadian Civilian Response Capacity. Insights gathered from in-person and virtual engagements with EM stakeholders (Provinces and Territories, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Indigenous leaders, the private sector, and academia) as well as written submissions are being used to inform the development of a forward-looking vision for a pan-Canadian Civilian Response Capacity.
This What We Heard Report provides a review of the key findings that emerged from this engagement process. These key findings are grouped under the following topics that were provided for engagement purposes:
- Understanding current capacities, gaps and challenges
- Roles and responsibilities
- Coordination and governance
- Mobilizing and supporting under-recognized groups in EM
- Indigenous Knowledges
Context
In Canada, EM is a shared responsibility across federal, provincial, territorial, and Indigenous authorities. The federal government takes the lead on national and international EM in areas under its jurisdiction, while provincial and territorial governments manage local emergencies, often with the initial response from local authorities. Indigenous communities collaborate with provincial and federal bodies for emergency responses. The Emergency Management Framework for Canada aims to enhance cooperation among these entities to better assess and mitigate risks.
The Government of Canada is providing funding for building a non-governmental humanitarian workforce, with a view to support and strengthen national readiness and contribute to building the capacity of national NGOs. On May 4, 2022, the Government of Canada announced $150 million over two years for the Supporting a Humanitarian Workforce to Respond to COVID-19 and Other Large-Scale Emergencies (HWF) program to support both capacity building and domestic response activities of four EM NGOs: the Canadian Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, The Salvation Army, and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada (SARVAC).
On July 11, 2023, the Government of Canada announced additional funding for HWF program. This funding provides $82 million over three years (2023-2024 to 2025-2026) to support continued emergency readiness and capacity building for the four NGOs. This funding is allowing these NGOs to maintain a highly skilled and qualified group of volunteer emergency responders and emergency management professionals who can rapidly deploy on short notice to support responses to emergency events. Specifically, stream 2 funding under the HWF program has resulted in a total of 16 deployments since the inception of the program. Additionally, funding under stream 1 of the program is enabling them to recruit and train response teams, purchase equipment and supplies, strengthen governance, and adapt their protocols and procedures to address the needs of specific communities, including vulnerable populations. This has contributed to bolstered system-wide capacity, enabling NGOs to enter into hundreds of bilateral agreements with all orders of government.
More recently, on May 11, 2024, the Government of Canada added Team Rubicon Canada to the program. Team Rubicon Canada received funding under stream 2 of the program to assist with wildfire response efforts in Jasper, Alberta in summer 2024. This included funding to conduct wildfire mitigation, needs and damage assessments, comprehensive site surveys, property examinations, debris removal, and sifting services for residents whose properties were impacted by the wildfire. Additionally, under stream 1 of the HWF program, Team Rubicon Canada has also been building new capacities, including firefighter and incident camp logistic support, and bolstering existing capabilities such as the expansion of direct field support staff and conducting integrated disaster training.
However, Canada's climate is warming at an alarming rate, twice as fast as the global average, and up to four times faster in the northern regions. This rapid change is leading to an increase in extreme weather events, such as deadly heatwaves, widespread flooding, and wildfires, which are increasingly endangering communities. Marginalized populations, including Indigenous Peoples, are disproportionately affected due to limited resources and higher exposure to climate impacts. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) plays a crucial role in disaster response, providing support to civil authorities when requested, but, the growing frequency of large-scale emergencies has demonstrated the need for enhanced civilian response capabilities and resilience.
Engagement Overview
On February 1, 2024, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister Responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, announced the launch of targeted engagement with a broad range of EM partners and stakeholders to help inform the evolution of a pan-Canadian civilian response capacity. Through this engagement, the Government of Canada was looking to understand current capacities, gaps and limitations on key topics relating to emergency response and gather insights and views on ways to more efficiently leverage these capacities following large-scale emergency events in Canada.
PS held a series of five in-person roundtables across the country in the following locations: Vancouver (February 1, 2024), Montreal (February 13, 2024), Halifax (February 15, 2024), Toronto (February 22, 2024) and Ottawa (March 7, 2024). In total 119 attendees participated in the five in-person sessions, representing 77 different organizations.
Complementing the in-person roundtables, three virtual roundtables were held with representatives from the Territories: Nunavut (March 26, 2024), Yukon (March 27, 2024) and Northwest Territories (March 28, 2024). In total 25 attendees participated in the virtual sessions, representing 16 different organizations.
In addition to the roundtables, EM partners and stakeholders were invited, through an opportunity published on the Consulting with Canadians website, to submit written responses to PS. A total of 36 submissions that included memos, notes, and research papers were received from 34 different organizations.
What We Heard: Key Findings
1. Understanding Current Capacities, Gaps and Challenges
Various available services and roles were identified as best practices, ranging from national coordination to specialized niche or local services, such as the provision of laundry facilities or catering services, which all Canadians need during an emergency.
“Understanding what resources and capabilities are available across Canada and in jurisdictions; requires an understanding of what are the targeted capabilities required, which will identify resources able to fulfill the capability.”
Written submission
A coordination or liaison role was identified as critical for facilitating collaboration between various partners and stakeholders, including governments at all levels, private sector entities, NGOs, Indigenous organizations and community organizations.
“Canada needs to assist those supporting at-risk groups, including Indigenous communities. This would include service continuity planning to support capacity building and adaptation strategies, leveraging evidence-based solutions and programming. This would increase the resiliency of community actors in times of crisis and improve their capacity to support their communities.”
Written submission
There is a need for EM organizations and Canadian society to build resilience through capacity-building, training, continuous learning, and public education.
Multiple participants emphasized the importance of standardized training programs, scenario-based planning, and leveraging existing resources to maximize efficiency.
Fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within EM organizations was viewed as essential to adapt to evolving challenges and threats. Many participants also highlighted gaps related to volunteer recruitment and retention such as a limited volunteer pool, volunteer burnout and limited access to training opportunities.
“The existing volunteer pool is the same people wearing different hats and there are limited resources for training and exercising.”
Roundtable participant, Nunavut
The importance of sharing knowledge and information across all organizations involved in EM and clearly documenting capabilities and capacities was also highlighted. We heard that it is key to establish systems for communications, sharing information, and build and maintain comprehensive databases (of skills, resources, plans, people, materials, etc.) so that “everyone knows what everyone brings to the table.” This could also facilitate evidence-based and data-driven decision-making.
“We don't have an adequate system to track data and stats to do an adequate analysis of what is required to increase capacities.”
Roundtable participant, Halifax
Additional suggestions for building capacity and enhancing response capabilities included:
- Improving information gathering, documenting and sharing, across all organizations involved in EM (e.g. through workshops and other networking opportunities)
- Building and maintaining comprehensive databases of system-wide skills, resources, plans, people, materials, etc.
- Establishing a strong national leadership role
- Building the capacity of organizations and individuals involved in emergency response, through (joint) training, exercises, and collaborative partnerships
- Establishing systems for communications, sharing information
- Conducting readiness exercises and training sessions
When discussing the current emergency response system, the overarching concern raised by participants was the existence of systemic issues and challenges, such as the lack of standardized training and procedures, and the difficulties in rapidly and effectively scaling up a response, challenges with resource and funding allocation, and the challenges of working within complex bureaucracies.
Resource limitation was highlighted by participants as a key challenge facing the EM system in Canada. From their perspective, sustainable funding is lacking, including for EM initiatives that include a focus on preparedness, operations, staffing, training and mitigation. Resources are specifically limited in remote areas due to infrastructure issues and a lack of understanding of the unique needs and challenges of Northern regions.
Participants expressed concerns regarding the system’s tendency to address immediate symptoms rather than underlying issues; in other words, there is a tendency to be reactive rather than proactively working to mitigate risk, build resilience and enhance preparedness. Participants also highlighted a concern regarding resource limitations and overreliance on specific organizations, particularly the CAF.
“Over the past decade, there has been an increasing reliance on the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in response to emergencies and disasters in Canada. This reliance due to the lack of surge alternatives puts them in the position of providing services directly to vulnerable groups, which the CAF may have limited prior experience in serving. This approach is a departure from the guidelines on the use of military assets in disaster response and to the operational doctrine of the CAF as both favor an indirect, logistical role rather than a client-facing service delivery role, whenever feasible”.
Written submission
Lack of clarity and coordination across levels of government and between NGOs in areas such as training standards, role definition, information sharing, collaboration, EM protocols, and resource tracking and deployment was identified by participants as a key gap in all jurisdictions.
Gaps were identified specific to the Northern region and remote communities such as limited federal presence and resources, logistical challenges, and a general lack of awareness of realities in the North and the lack of infrastructure.
“A trauma-informed approach needs to be integrated in emergency response, including addiction management and mental health management.”
Roundtable Participant, Yukon
Additional suggestions to address the identified gaps and challenges included:
- Mapping resources and logistics planning
- Development of a comprehensive, up-to-date resource database
- Fostering relationships with private sector entities that have experience in areas such as logistics and operations to help ensure local communities are empowered, engaged and prepared
- Encouraging volunteerism by providing benefits to those who want to volunteer
- Proactive planning through conducting comprehensive risk assessments and developing all-hazard response plans
- Developing new models and frameworks to clarify the roles of partners and stakeholders, and to facilitate effective and timely emergency response in conjunction with northern communities and stakeholders
2. Roles and Responsibilities
Volunteers and civilian groups were identified as vital during emergency response. Establishing partnerships with various stakeholders, such as volunteer associations, professional organizations, community groups, NGOs, and academia, were identified as a way to create a robust network of resources and expertise.
Effective structures and processes were seen as essential by participants for managing spontaneous volunteers during emergency response. This includes:
- Implementing systems that facilitate the management of volunteers, such as a capacity inventory
- Having a single point of contact that communicates with community groups involved in a particular response, and
- Ensuring there are clear roles and responsibilities so that volunteers are efficiently organized and effectively utilized.
“Have a coordinator who “manages” the different volunteer functions with an operations centralized structure and integrate this function into EM.”
Roundtable participant, Montreal
Participants mentioned that the private sector can also play a significant role in providing logistical support during emergency response, such as the ability to coordinate and move goods and people. It was suggested that supportive legislation, incentives and partnerships could play a crucial role in encouraging private sector involvement in emergency response.
Multiple organizations mentioned that having clearly defined roles and mandates for NGOs within an overarching framework document, such as a common Concept of Operations, Partnership Agreement or Memorandum of Understanding, is crucial. It was noted that NGOs all bring unique capabilities to emergency response, but their integration into structured Incident Management Teams (IMTs) has not always been effective and clear.
“Leveraging capable NGOs is essential for enhancing emergency response efforts, as these organizations often possess specialized resources and expertise”.
Written submission
Participants noted that to effectively recognize and support the roles and responsibilities of First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations, meaningful engagement and collaboration for EM planning and interoperability purposes must be at the forefront, including through ongoing integrated planning and co-development with Indigenous leaders and community-based EM experts.
“Capacity building is essential for Indigenous communities to effectively participate in and contribute to emergency management and public safety efforts. This must include training in modern emergency management practices as well as ongoing support for maintaining and utilizing traditional knowledge.”
Written Submission
Suggestions for ways to foster further collaboration between these diverse groups include:
- Standardizing procedures and training requirements for volunteers
- Providing opportunities for volunteers to receive training
- Integrating spontaneous volunteers into emergency response plans beforehand to help with overall preparedness and planning
- Creating inventories of volunteer capacities and resources
- Providing liability coverage and recognizing their contributions through incentives and job protection
- Leveraging skills such as project management, budgeting, and time management from the private sector
- Integrating NGOs into emergency operations centers and including them in coordination and deployment response with all levels of government
3. Coordination and Governance
The importance of effective coordination and governance was highlighted as being critical to a unified and efficient emergency response. Effective coordination and governance is crucial at higher levels or an organization or an overall response, in contrast to structures and processes that are important at lower levels.
“Lack of clear coordination can result in on-the-ground jurisdictional tensions that negatively impact responses.”
Roundtable participant, Toronto
We heard that establishing clear governance frameworks, standardized coordination processes, and transparent decision-making structures were seen by participants as being essential for improving coordination.
The importance of effective knowledge management and the creation of a centralized and living database to track things, such as inventory, equipment, organizational and volunteer capabilities, and services was identified as an essential need in ensuring coordination for future emergencies.
“An overall understanding of what support and resources exist in other jurisdictions, especially provincially and federally, and the collaborative creation of set standards and best practices would assist in minimizing coordination challenges for future emergencies and increase the overall interoperability.”
Written Submission
There is a need for greater public engagement and awareness to foster understanding of the roles and limitations of different agencies in emergency response, ultimately promoting more effective resource allocation and utilization.
“It is crucial to incorporate Indigenous knowledge, traditions, and governance structures into the change management process to ensure its long-term success and acceptance.”
Written submission
Additional suggestion for clear coordination and governance structures to ensure accountability and build trust among stakeholders included:
- Implementing regular evaluations and clear protocols for data sharing
- Establishing clear governance structures, including frameworks such as Mutual Aid Agreements, and standardized coordination processes such as the use of a common incident command system
- Establishing pan-Canadian planning, standards, common language and terminology, and communication technology to promote consistency and clarity in communication and coordination
- Enhancing and standardizing communication to promote collaboration and coordination among different EM actors
- Creating an NGO coordination system under a single umbrella body
- Empowering leaders from within the communities to guide disaster response and EM efforts through training and frequent EM exercises at the community level.
- Establishing joint training exercises as well as regular meetings, conferences and workshops focused on collaboration and information sharing
4. Mobilizing and Supporting Under-Recognized Groups in EM
Community engagement discussions identified several under-recognized groups that could be more effectively mobilized in EM efforts, including religious communities, youth, cultural and ethnic minorities, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, and lower-income individuals.
“First Nations and other northerners, with appropriate training, equipment, and resources, can provide essential “boots on the ground” to immediately respond to local or regional emergencies, possibly reducing or eliminating the need for personnel from external agencies…”
Written submission
“Funding needs to be put into organizational infrastructures in communities: empower local communities and give them the resources they need to withstand emergency events and disasters.”
Roundtable Participant, Northwest Territories
“Building trust and authentic relationships is essential pre-emergency work to encourage under-recognized groups to become more involved in emergency response. These groups need to be brought to the table to raise awareness about the unique needs and contexts to ensure that emergency responses are tailored and inclusive”.
Written submission
Inclusivity and cultural sensitivity were identified as being crucial for an equitable emergency response system. Participants stressed the importance of engaging under-recognized groups in the planning and decision-making processes to ensure their needs are identified and addressed.
Fostering collaboration with community organizations that represent under-recognized groups was noted to enhance the effectiveness of emergency response efforts.
“Current systems do not take into account personal relationships and implications among under-represented communities to be able to meet their needs in a meaningful manner. Understand barriers and navigate those appropriately”.
Roundtable participant, Vancouver
Participants indicated that effective engagement involves recognizing and leveraging the unique capabilities of diverse community segments, including cultural and ethnic minorities, youth, and religious communities. This approach not only builds trust but also empowers communities to actively participate in emergency response and preparedness efforts.
“Volunteer and response representation from all communities is key with an understanding that equity is important, especially with volunteer recruitment.”
Roundtable participant, Halifax
Proactive and sustained engagement with communities is important to build trust, gather insights, and empower local populations to take an active role in emergency preparedness and response.
Additional suggestions included:
- Consulting regularly with community leaders and representatives
- Establishing strong partnerships and collaboration with community organizations that represent under-represented groups
- Engaging organizations that are trusted sources among diverse communities to assist in reaching out to segments of the population that are often disproportionately impacted by disasters
- Incorporating culturally specific resources into emergency response plans, such as ethnic groups, LGBTQ+ groups, or faith-based organizations
- Conducting community needs assessments and identifying risks
- Developing programs that focus on community-based needs and recovery
- Investing in training programs that engage marginalized communities
5. Indigenous Knowledges
Meaningful engagement and coordination with First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities was seen by participants as a cornerstone of effective EM.
“The development of a pan-Canadian civil response capacity is an opportunity for the federal government to establish conditions that allow Indigenous organizations and governments to plan and carry out culturally appropriate emergency management”.
Written submission
Participants indicated that this involves consistent collaboration and dialogue with Knowledge Holders, Elders and community leaders, fostering collaboration and partnership at all phases of EM.
“Recognize and integrate First Nations knowledge and expertise – co-generate solutions in emergency planning, preparedness, and response by integrating the untapped knowledge of First Nations experts with that of western practitioners to provide the best approaches to monitoring, assessment, and strategies in the management of emergencies in the North.”
Written submission
Integrating First Nations, Inuit and Métis languages, dialects and traditional foods into emergency response efforts are essential to meet the unique needs and circumstances of Indigenous communities.
“An enhanced pan-Canadian civilian response capacity can be achieved through a strengthened Indigenous governance regime which enables Indigenous organizations and governments to exercise increased jurisdictional responsibilities and authorities over their lands”.
Written submission
Flexible response strategies and partnerships with Indigenous Peoples are crucial for ensuring that emergency responses align with community values and needs.
“Indigenous communities have important information about their communities that needs to be leveraged. Evacuation of Indigenous Communities is especially problematic given the hurts and harms of the past.”
Written submission
Additional suggestions to assist in the development of these strategies included:
- Engaging regularly with Indigenous leaders and representatives
- Maintaining consistent collaboration and dialogue with Knowledge Holders, Elders and community leaders
- Building culturally appropriate training for First Nations, Inuit and Métis’ communities
- Learning and sharing of lessons, unique experiences and knowledges
- Recognizing and respecting Indigenous priorities, decision-making processes and governance
- Developing flexible response strategies and partnerships with Indigenous Peoples to ensure that emergency responses align with community values and needs
- Increasing representation of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples in EM leadership and decision making processes
Conclusion and Next Steps
The Government of Canada recognizes that a sustainable whole-of-society, pan-Canadian approach for civilian response capacity is needed to keep pace with the evolving threat environment and help strengthen Canada’s preparedness for future all-hazard emergency events.
The HWF program represents an important step in building readiness and response capacity of NGOs, but we recognize the need for further action to enhance disaster response capacity and coordination and foster the development of new capabilities. Insights gained through this engagement will help inform future action to strengthen Canada’s preparedness for future all-hazard events.
The findings in this report represent one of the first steps towards a sustainable whole-of-society, pan-Canadian approach for civilian response capacity. These findings will be used to inform continued discussions with provincial and territorial partners at various FPT fora to explore potential opportunities to collaborate on addressing shared challenges and gaps and avoiding potential duplication of efforts, and through continued engagements with EM stakeholders and community in the near future.
Annex 1: Engagement process guiding questions
1. Understanding Current Capacities, Gaps and Challenges
- When a disaster strikes, how can your organization contribute to disaster response effort in terms of roles and capacities?
- In what specific capacities and with what capabilities can your organization contribute to disaster response operations?
- What strategies could be employed to enhance the interoperability of existing response capacities among organizations?
- Based on your experience, in terms of emergency response capacity, how is the current emergency response system in Canada working?
- In your experience, what are the capacity limitations within the current response system in Canada?
- In your jurisdiction, what gaps do you identify in emergency response capacities and what actions, strategies or initiatives could help address these gaps?
- In the broader emergency response system, what changes are necessary to ensure that Canada possesses the right response capabilities to rapidly and effectively respond to concurrent crises?
2. Roles and Responsibilities
- How can volunteers and civilian groups be strategically leveraged in emergency response?
- How can spontaneous volunteers be better mobilized and utilized during emergency response?
- What additional roles do you envision for the private sector in contributing to emergency response?
- What emergency response roles and responsibilities do you believe the EM NGO sector should lead or contribute to in the future?
3. Coordination and Governance
- Are there untapped resources or capabilities in your jurisdiction due to coordination challenges?
- What actions can be taken to address coordination challenges for future emergencies?
- What strategies could be employed to enhance the interoperability of existing response capacities among jurisdictions?
- How can transparency and accountability be improved with regard to coordination of emergency response efforts?
4. Mobilizing and Supporting Under-recognized Groups in EM
- Who are the under-recognized groups in EM that could be more effectively reached and mobilized in emergency response?
- In what ways can these under-recognized groups be encouraged to become more involved in emergency response?
- How can the current emergency response system more effectively address the needs of under-recognized groups during disasters?
- What emergency response mechanisms and capacities does your organization currently have to address the needs of under-recognized groups that require support during disasters?
5. Indigenous Knowledges
- What Indigenous Knowledges, and understanding of the land you live on, can help improve response to future emergency events?
- In what ways can the roles and responsibilities of Indigenous organizations be recognized and effectively supported?
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