Whereas British Columbia has endured the most devastating wildfire season to date; And whereas impacts experienced across the province related to wildfires and associated highway closures are numerous and far reaching, particularly as it relates to economic development and the tourism sector, adding additional burden to ongoing challenges related to recruitment and retention, supply chains and inflation; And whereas local commercial and industrial businesses within the Alberni Valley and neighbouring coastal communities have been particularly hard hit as a result of the ongoing closures and unpredictability of Highway 4, the one major road serving as the primary entry and exit point to the Region: Therefore be it resolved that the UBCM urge the provincial and federal governments to administer immediate assistance and financial aid to the commercial and industrial business sectors within the province that have been impacted by the wildfires and associated highway closures; And be it further resolved that government programs, such as Disaster Financial Assistance be expanded to acknowledge both the direct and indirect impacts of natural disasters to ensure support of affected businesses during and following natural disasters.
Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness The EMCR Vancouver Island Coastal Region VIC Provincial Emergency Operations Centre PREOC moved to a level 2 response status, to provide enhanced response coordination for the Cameron Bluffs Wildfire event that resulted in the closure of Highway 4. At the start of the emergency, the PREOC provided funding for local Emergency Operations Centres EOCs to open and operate reception centres to receive stranded travelers until the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure MOTI was able to open a detour route. The VIC PREOC brought First Nation, Local Government, Ministries, and service providers into coordination calls to drive information exchange and come up with solutions to support the transportation of goods and services through the detour. In collaboration with MOTI, EMCR coordinated escorts for large transportation truck convoys through the detour route to maintain product flow into community. After the wildfire emergency ended, EMCR engaged with the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development, and Innovation JEDI to provide key information for how businesses facing emergencies can develop business continuity plans and joined into meetings with the Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce. EMCR also provided Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District funding amounting to 2,189.58 for an after-action review to assess lessons learned and for future planning. In recognition of the increasing impacts on communities from climate change, the Province is modernizing the way we prepare for, mitigate, respond to, and recover from emergencies. In fall 2023, EMCR introduced the Emergency and Disaster Management Act EDMA which incorporates learnings from past events and international best practices. With EDMA receiving royal assent, EMCR is now working to modernize the Compensation and Disaster Financial Assistance Regulation CDFAR which is being informed by public engagement. The Province is also working with the federal government on the development of a modernized Flood Insurance model. The Federal government is anticipating conclusion of this work by summer 2024.