New emergency management legislation coming October 3

New emergency management act legislation will come to the legislature on October 3, Minister Bowinn Ma confirmed at UBCM Convention. We asked her if local governments can expect a framework to build capacity and fund additional responsibilities under the new Act. Here’s what she had to say. 

UBCM delegates heard from Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness representatives in a Provincial policy session focused updates to the Emergency Program Act, to come to the Legislature this fall. 

The current Emergency Program Act has not been updated since 1993 and in the Provincial policy session Tuesday, Minister Bowinn Ma recognized that the existing Act is not keeping up with new challenges. Communities are “facing new disasters while still recovering from previous disasters,” she said.

The Ministry had discussed pausing the work out of respect for the catastrophic emergency events this summer faced by many of BC’s communities. However, Ma told delegates there is a sense of urgency to advance the work because “Climate change is not waiting.” 

The Ministry is seeking input from local governments and First Nations that will directly inform the new regulatory approach for local authorities and post-emergency financial assistance. Engagement will be open from the end of September until the end of 2023 on the Ministry website. 

To close out the session, delegates were invited to meet with EMCR staff in a world café setting to discuss local government priorities and challenges related to emergency management and the new regulation. Ma said that we need to “work together, supporting one another, as it’s going to take all of us” to respond to natural and climate emergencies that will continue to affect BC in the coming years.