Whereas during the 2017 wildfires, evacuees ended up in several different locations; And whereas evacuees unfairly received varying degrees of Emergency Social Services supports depending on the locationproviderday, which caused confusion, additional stress and resentment: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the provincial government to consider taking over management of Emergency Social Services during Level III Provincial State of Emergencies where local capacity is unable to provide basic ESS services, and that the provincial government facilitate regionalprovincial Level III ESS planning with local authorities and regional districts to ensure a consistent base allocation of support and resources to evacuees and that the Province modernize the ESS registration process.
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General The Province, through Emergency Management BC EMBC, provides standardized policies and guidance for the provision of Emergency Support Services ESS to evacuees. These standardized directives are used by our valued, dedicated ESS volunteers to provide the support and services to the specific needs of the individual evacuee. Not all evacuees receive the same level of support because they have differing needs. Major fire seasons such as 2017 and 2018 present increased challenges to provide equitable ESS as differing host communities may not have the same accommodation capacity or range of services that may be offered to evacuees. This is often evident in cases where lack of commercial accommodation requires the implementation of group lodging. Larger communities may also be able to generously support evacuees with additional supports such as pet care, access to recreational activities and other services that may not be available elsewhere. While every effort is made to provide equitable support, local capacities may make this unachievable. The Province has embarked on a project to modernize the ESS program. A key component is the implementation of a digital registration and management system that will aid in standardizing the supports provided. It will also aid the Province in facilitating communications with volunteers who provide the service and work to rectify any discrepancies where they occur.