Whereas the Province has delegated responsibility for emergency and disaster recovery to local governments under Section 6 of the Emergency Program Act; And whereas the Provinces current policy of providing funding for disaster relief and recovery to organizations other than local governments is proving ineffective in meeting the needs of many British Columbians who require such assistance; Therefore be it resolved that the Province work collaboratively with local governments to establish policy and best practices relating to the provision of disaster recovery assistance, and thereafter make all funding for this purpose available directly to local governments in support of their legislated responsibilities under the Emergency Program Act.
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General The Province is in the process of modernizing the Emergency Program Act EPA. As part of the modernization, the Province will also consider regulation, policy and practices as they pertain to all elements of emergency preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation. It is anticipated this consideration will include the mechanisms by which the Province provides assistance to citizens following an emergency event. The Province released a discussion paper on October 28, 2019 that outlines proposed legislative changes to the EPA. The three-month consultation was open until January 31, 2020 and local government, First Nation, interested organizations and public input was encouraged.