TORONTO — Premier Doug Ford announced the creation of Ontario Corps, a group of skilled professionals and volunteers that the province can deploy to help communities respond to natural disasters and other emergencies, while promoting civic engagement and community participation.
“I’ve seen firsthand the incredible community spirit and dedication to volunteerism that we share throughout Ontario,” said Premier Doug Ford. “With the launch of Ontario Corps, we’re harnessing the Ontario spirit to help communities and neighbours in need deal with natural disasters and other emergencies, while providing additional resources to keep our communities safe. I encourage everyone across Ontario who is interested and able to consider volunteering by signing up for Ontario Corps today!”
Inspired by successful models like AmeriCorps, Ontario Corps will work with non-governmental organizations and First Nations partners to help coordinate specialized personnel and volunteers to respond to emergencies. Ontario Corps can mobilize to provide on-the-ground assistance such as emergency shelter, debris management, food services and flood protection. Ontario Corps partner organizations include groups such as Feed Ontario, Ontario Search and Rescue Volunteer Association, Salvation Army, GlobalMedic and Team Rubicon Canada.
To support Ontario Corps emergency response efforts, the province has procured flood mitigation barriers, drones, water pumps, chain saws, air purifiers and other supplies to support communities impacted by emergencies. All equipment and volunteers can be deployed anywhere across Ontario within 24 to 72 hours to help support community response efforts. Partner organizations could also help prepare the province by training volunteers and educating the public on how they can plan for and respond to emergencies.
“Being safe, practiced and prepared starts with having the resources, trained volunteers and specialized equipment ready when the next emergency impacts Ontario,” said Trevor Jones, Associate Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response. “Neighbours helping neighbours – that is the true essence of Ontario Corps, which will guide our efforts to ensure our province remains a leader in emergency management for decades to come.”
People of all skill levels and professional backgrounds are encouraged to volunteer for Ontario Corps to help their communities during emergencies. Volunteers from all backgrounds and experience levels are welcome to apply. They will be provided with initial training and matched with partner organizations based on their skill levels, interests and availability.
Earlier this month, after a significant amount of snow accumulated over a short period of time, the province piloted Ontario Corps in Gravenhurst. Ontario Corps partners the Salvation Army, GlobalMedic, Feed Ontario and the Ontario Search and Rescue Volunteer Association were deployed to help Gravenhurst conduct wellness checks on residents, provide food hampers and serve meals to the community, and support a municipal warming centre for community members who lost power or were stranded on motorways. In April, Team Rubicon Canada, an Ontario Corps partner, was deployed to French River after they requested support for flood mitigation, assisting locals with sandbagging efforts to avoid a flood of the area.
As a part of the plan to modernize emergency management across Ontario, the province is also establishing an Ontario Emergency Preparedness and Response Headquarters that will support a quicker and more coordinated response. Located on surplus government property on Disco Road in Etobicoke near Toronto Pearson International Airport, this state-of-the-art complex would be a multifaceted centre for coordinated and enhanced responses to emergencies. A secure facility with dedicated training rooms, storage, warehousing and aviation infrastructure, the new headquarters would be built to withstand all types of disasters including earthquakes, tornadoes and floods, capable of serving Ontario 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
The government is also partnering with Northern College on a regional emergency hub in Timmins to bolster local on-the-ground response and enhance emergency readiness in northern Ontario. The hub, located at the college, could be set up to serve as an emergency operations centre, a meeting point for emergency partners to coordinate responses or a training centre for partners and volunteers in the north. Four additional emergency hubs will be established at strategic locations in northeast, northwest, southwest and southeast Ontario. These new hubs will store equipment to help support local efforts, providing timelier support to areas affected by emergencies.