Ottawa – Emergency Preparedness Week serves as a reminder to know the risks, plan for them, and act.
The Government of Canada is committed to providing Canadians with the information they need about climate change and its impact on everyday life. Wildfires in Canada are increasingly large-scale events and threaten the health, safety, and economic stability of Canadians.
Today, Minister Harjit S. Sajjan, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, with Parliamentary Secretary, Sherry Romanado, Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and Minister Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, convened to share with Canadians the latest assessment of the 2024 wildfire season and the state of federal preparedness.
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) meteorologists continue to predict weather conditions for spring and summer 2024 that could lead to greater wildfire risks. As we can expect with climate change, most parts of Canada have experienced warmer and drier spring conditions so far, with the added influence this year of El Niño. Drought conditions are expected to persist in high-risk regions in May, including the southern regions of the prairie and western provinces. ECCC is forecasting continued above-normal temperatures nationwide for the spring and summer period. Such conditions exacerbate the risk and intensity of both natural and human-caused wildfires.
In addition, Minister Sajjan highlighted efforts to bolster response capabilities for the 2024 wildfire season under the Humanitarian Workforce Program (HWF).
This initiative will test and strengthen the capabilities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs)—including Canadian Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, The Salvation Army, and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada (SARVAC)—to ensure they can mobilize and rapidly deploy emergency responders and relief supplies to support Canadians in times of need. The initiative will focus on the needs of at-risk communities, with an initial focus on British Columbia and Northwest Territories.
Additionally, Minister Sajjan announced today the intention to work towards including the veteran-led humanitarian NGO, Team Rubicon, in the HWF program to increase the program’s urgent response capacity.
Building from lessons learned during the 2023 wildfire season, Public Safety Canada is working closely with the NGOs funded under the HWF program and provincial and territorial governments to identify needs and establish innovative ways to facilitate the rapid deployment of resources and respond to an emergency. As part of this initiative, NGOs will carry out activities which could help reduce response time and enhance planning and training that will include local organizations.
To counter the growing threat of wildfires in Canada, the federal government will continue to support provinces and territories in wildfire mitigation, response, and monitoring. Today, NRCan announced up to $1.2 million for the Canadian Interagency Forest Centre to expand the Centre’s wildfire prevention and mitigation capacity. This investment will also enhance and expand the adoption of FireSmart Canada, a program funded through the Wildfire Resilient Futures Initiative (WRFI), in collaboration with provinces and territories. The WRFI invests in new programs and activities to reduce wildland fire risk in our communities and landscapes.
Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) are working with partners to help people in Canada manage the health risks from wildfires. This includes providing information and public health guidance relating to air pollution created by wildfire smoke, what to do if wildfires are occurring along with extreme heat, and the mental health impacts that may result from wildfires. For example, during wildfire smoke events, the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) reports on air quality on a scale from 1 to 10+ and provides relevant health messages to help people make informed decisions to protect their health and the health of their loved ones.
In addition, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada are working alongside jurisdictions to provide technical expertise, health guidance, air quality monitoring assistance, and advice for establishing cleaner air spaces when air quality is poor. The Public Health Agency of Canada also stands ready to support impacted jurisdictions upon request, with the delivery of essential medical equipment and supplies through the National Emergency Strategic Stockpile (NESS) and public health-related assistance during evacuations.
Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) continues to work alongside First Nations to support the health, safety and well-being of their communities. As announced in Budget 2024, ISC proposes to allocate $57.2 million over five years to renew and expand ISC’s FireSmart program to directly support First Nation communities and other eligible recipients with resources and preventative measures, especially those located in high-risk areas. We are also doing things differently this year by offering advance payments to all communities so they can prepare earlier and incorporate traditional knowledge in our strategies. We are also going forward with a pilot project in Alberta to fund Emergency Management Coordinators in all 48 communities.
We all have a part in preparing for the potential impact of wildfires in our communities. The Government of Canada, like our emergency management partners in all levels of government, non-government organizations, Indigenous Leaders and the private sector, has heightened our awareness of the risks and has taken steps to increase our preparedness. Our focus is on the health, safety and security of Canadians. We are making sure we have the capacity to support provinces and territories and mobilize resources when they are needed for the 2024 wildfire season.
“Our climate is changing and with every passing year, we experience more extreme weather events. Now, more than ever, we need greater collaboration among us. The Emergency Preparedness Week theme of Be Prepared. Know your risks. applies to all of us, as individuals, communities, and organizations. I can assure Canadians that even as climate change affects the world around us, we are adapting and working together so we can respond to whatever happens. I am pleased to be working with colleagues in national emergency management NGOs to improve our readiness to respond across the country. Together, we will continue to adapt and reinforce the emergency response system.” – 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
“Last year, Canadians experienced the most destructive forest fire season in our nation’s history, and we know that climate change has been a root cause of their increased frequency and intensity. The federal government has been urgently working to prepare Canada for wildfires in 2024, including through an announcement today of $1.2 million in funding via the Wildfire Resilient Futures Initiative for the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre to expand the adoption of FireSmart. This investment builds on hundreds of millions of dollars we have invested since 2019 towards equipment and training for firefighters. Since last year alone, $22.5 million has flowed through the Fighting and Managing Wildfires in a Changing Climate (FMWCC) program to British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories and Yukon, and this is just the beginning of our work with provinces and territories to bolster procurement of lifesaving equipment and personnel through the FMWCC and FireSmart programs. By working with partners across the country, we are building skills, supporting scientific research, and helping firefighters prepare not only for the 2024 season, but for a future where the impact of climate change on the severity of wildfires is increasingly obvious.” – Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources