Emergency Planning Documents

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Overview

Emergency preparedness and response in Canada is predicated on two federal legislative Acts, and is supported and reinforced by a number of policy, procedural and planning documents, each described briefly below.

Emergency Preparedness Act

The Emergency Preparedness Act (Canada: 1988) is federal legislation that

• establishes emergency preparedness as a required activity of the federal government;
• charges all Ministers of the Crown with the identification of potential emergencies within their departments; and
• requires all Ministers to develop and test appropriate emergency plans.

Emergencies Act

The Emergencies Act (Canada: 1988) is contingency legislation that is invoked when specific emergency conditions are met. This act

• defines a "national emergency";
• describes the different types of national emergencies; and
• describes the powers and limitations available to, and placed upon, the federal government for each type of emergency.

Federal Policy for Emergencies

The Federal Policy for Emergencies (Canada, Privy Council Office: 1995) provides guidance to Ministers and departments in the event of an emergency. This policy

• introduces the concept of a cooperative national approach to emergency preparedness; and
• delineates the federal government's place within that cooperative network.

Government Emergency Book

The Government Emergency Book (Canada,  Department of National Defence and Emergency Preparedness Canada: 1996) provides a conceptual framework to guide and coordinate the planning and response of the Government of Canada in relation to emergencies, and to provide operational guidance for those emergencies that may require federal Cabinet involvement.

National Support Plan

The National Support Plan (Canada, Office of Critical Infrastructure Protection and Emergency Preparedness n.d.) outlines an organisational structure and a concept of operations that may be used by the federal government in providing support to provinces or territories affected by an emergency. The National Support Plan provides a generic and standardised framework that may be adopted by the federal government in response to any type of emergency affecting Canada.

Federal Nuclear Emergency Plan

The Federal Nuclear Emergency Plan (Canada, Health Canada: 2002) outlines the federal role, organisation, and capability in responding to a nuclear or radiological emergency. Health Canada, as the lead department for this plan, is responsible for coordinating the nuclear emergency response of twenty federal departments and agencies. These organisations each have distinct roles and responsibilities; the Federal Nuclear Emergency Plan provides the structured framework required to facilitate coordination.

National Counter Terrorism Plan

The National Counter Terrorism Plan (Canada, Department of the Solicitor General: 1993) is the basis for the national response to a terrorist threat on Canadian soil. This plan is administered by the Department of the Solicitor General. In the event of a terrorist act involving radiological or nuclear devices, the Federal Nuclear Emergency Plan would support the National Counter Terrorism Plan by providing technical and operational advice on radiological impacts and protective measures through members of its Technical Advisory Group.