Fact Sheet For Individuals And Families (
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Where To Get More Information About The Ministry Of Municipal Affairs And Housing’s Emergency Management Programs
Emergencies Happen Any Time, Any Where
Emergency situations are unpredictable. Are you prepared to deal with them? Do you know the hazards and risks to yourself and your community? You may remember some of these past emergencies:
- Naturally-caused events, such as the 1998 Ice Storm, 2003 SARS health emergency, 2006 tornadoes
- Technological failures, such as the 2003 power outage, 1979 Mississauga train derailment
- Human-caused situations, such as the September 11, 2001 terrorist event.
Like other jurisdictions worldwide, Ontario’s emergency management program continues to evolve to better meet the challenges caused by disasters, particularly in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. The Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act has recently been changed to provide authorities with more powers to enhance emergency response. Municipalities and provincial ministries, including the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and
Housing, are now required to identify risks and put in place emergency management programs and response plans.
What Are The Ministry Of Municipal Affairs And Housing’s Responsibilities?
The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has a special responsibility for the co-ordination of provincial financial assistance during a disaster. The Ministry delivers the Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program (ODRAP) which:
- Provides financial assistance to municipalities, that are unable to manage damage costs due to the magnitude and frequency of natural disasters
- Assists individual, small businesses, farmers and non-profit organizations that do not have insurance and are unable to bear, on their own, the unexpected costs to return to normalcy in a timely manner. In such cases, provincial financial assistance matches 2:1 local fund raising.
Other programs may be designed to assist with sudden, unexpected costs and emotional stress.
Ontario Has An Emergency Management System
In Ontario, the responsibility for emergency management is shared among individuals and families, communities and municipalities, and the governments of Ontario and Canada. We all have a role to play when disaster strikes.
Public Safety Begins At Home
Individuals are responsible for their own safety and the well-being of their families. Everyone should make provisions for up to three days in the event of an emergency or disaster. Why three days? It could take municipal or provincial emergency services that long to reach you due to blocked roads and other hazardous conditions. A 72-hour emergency survival kit should provide you with the basic supplies necessary to manage on your own before help arrives.
Visit www.ontario.ca/emo to find instructions about assembling your own 72-hour emergency survival kit.
Communities Always Respond First
When emergencies happen, they are routinely dealt with at the community level by local emergency response organizations, including police, fire, emergency health services and public works. In fact, most emergencies can be managed at the community level and do not require provincial assistance. If a disaster strikes in a community, the local head of council implements the municipal emergency response plan. Depending on the severity of the situation, the council may declare an emergency for purposes of provincial assistance, as necessary. The head of council and other local officials come together as the Community Control Group, and work to ensure a controlled, centralized and co-ordinated emergency response team.
Ontario Can Assist
If additional supplies or equipment are required, or the emergency poses a serious immediate threat to public safety, additional resources may be requested by the community through Emergency Management Ontario (EMO). EMO is the co-ordinating branch of the provincial government responsible for promoting, developing, implementing and maintaining emergency management programs.
Depending on the nature of the emergency or the impact on public safety, a provincial minister may be assigned to act on behalf of the Premier to further provide assistance. In a large-scale emergency, the Premier of Ontario may declare a provincial emergency. Visit www.ontario.ca/emo to learn more about the Provincial Emergency Response Plan.
Canada Can Assist
The federal government intervenes only when requested or when the emergency clearly impacts on areas of federal jurisdiction, such as on federal lands or when the emergency is of international significance. If the province requires assistance from the federal government, it
must be formally requested through EMO. Visit www.publicsafety.gc.ca for information about the federal government’s department on public safety.
Emergencies Happen. What are Your Responsibilities As An Individual/Family?
Here is what you can do to help minimize the financial impact and emotional stress of a disaster:
- Learn about your community’s emergency management program before a disaster happens. Your municipality has information about probable risks in your neighbourhood and any special arrangements that will be in place in the event of an emergency, such as evacuation routes. You should take measures to protect your property and be prepared if instructed to evacuate or to seek shelter where you are.
- Check that you have adequate insurance coverage to manage the costs of repairing, restoring or replacing your primary residence and/or business, and any other interests. Be sure to ask your home, car and business insurers about:
- Content coverage/replacement cost
- Extra living expense coverage
- Liability and theft
- What is NOT covered by the policy
- Deductibles and discounts
- Scheduled articles coverage
- Have a 72-hour emergency survival kit and prepare an emergency family plan, including special pet and elder care provisions. You should keep additional cash on hand, in the event that banks are closed, so that you can restock your emergency provisions once services and supplies are restored.
- Have a battery-powered radio in order to hear emergency information broadcasts, which could include such things as protective measures and evacuation instructions.
You may hear special instructions about how to “disaster-proof” your home/business in order to avoid damage, and traffic control measures to make a safe exit from the impacted area. Note: If anemergency is prolonged and you suffer extreme hardship, financial relief may become available and you will need to know how to access it.
Central Region
777 Bay Street, 2nd Floor
Toronto, ON M5G 2E5
Tel: 416-585-6226
or 1-800-668-0230
Eastern Region
8 Estate Lane
Kingston, ON
K7M 9A8
Tel: 613-545-2100 or
1-800-267-9438
Western Region
659 Exeter Road,
2nd Floor
London, ON
N6E 1L3
Tel: 519-873-4020
or 1-800-265-4736
Northeastern Region
159 Cedar Street, Suite 401
Sudbury, ON
P3E 6A5
Tel: 705-564-0120 or
1-800-461-1193
Northwestern Region
435 James St. S., Suite 223
Thunder Bay, ON
P7E 6S7
Tel: 807-465-5027
or 1-800-465-5027
Municipal Programs and Education Branch
777 Bay Street
Toronto, ON
Tel: 416- 585-7296
For more information, visit mah.gov.on.ca/odrap