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REPORT TO THE
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
Report Number: CAO-06-02
Date: September 25, 2002
From:
Thomas J. Quinn
Chief Administrative Officer
Subject:
Bill 148 "Emergency Management Acf'
- File: IG 3018
Recommendation:
1.
2.
That Council receive Report CAO-06-02 regarding Bill 148;
That Council endorse the attached (Clarington) resolution requesting the Federal
and Provincial Governments to provide special emergency management funding
for all municipalities that host nuclear facilities;
That this Report be circulated to the Ontario Minister of Public Safety and
Security, the local Members of Parliament, the local Members of Provincial
Parliament, the Region of Durham, all Durham area municipalities, and the
Canadian Association of Nuclear Host Communities.
3.
Executive Summary: Subsequent to the events of September 11, 2001 the
Government of Ontario has taken various steps to improve upon emergency
preparedness and management for the Province. In December 2001, Bill 148 was
introduced and received first reading by the Legislature. The Bill is intended to amend
the Emergency Planning Act to formally mandate all Ontario municipalities with specific
emergency preparedness requirements. The financial burden and extra challenges that
communities who host nuclear facilities are significant. Funding assistance is required
to help facilitate municipal emergency management programming. In response to Bill
148, the Municipality of Clarington passed a resolution requesting Federal and
Provincial funding assistance and requesting the support from other nuclear host
communities.
Financial Implications: Should Federal and Provincial funding assistance be
received, this funding could be used to enhance the Pickering Community Emergency
Management Program (see Attachment #1 for Program details). For example, funding
could be used to offset costs that would be incurred to develop and conduct a
comprehensive public education campaign, conduct a community hazard identification
and analysis project, and to provide ongoing Staff and Council education and training
sessions.
Report CAO-06-02
Date: September 25, 2002
Subject: Bill 148, Emergency Management Act
Page 2
Background:
1.0
Bill 148
On December 6, 2001 the Provincial Government tabled Bill 148 in the Legislature to
amend the Emergency Planning Act and a copy of the Bill is available for viewing
through this office. The Bill has only received first reading but is expected to receive
second and third reading with Royal Assent by year-end. The Bill and other changes
that are currently underway in the newly titled Public Safety and Security Ministry place
greater emphasis on the process of managing major emergencies before, during, and
after their occurrence. The following is a summary of the proposed changes to the
Provincial legislation:
1. Legislative name change to "Emergency Management Acf' from
"Emergency Planning Acf', organizational name change to "Emergency
Management Ontario" from "Emergency Measures Ontario", position title
change to "Chief, Emergency Management Ontario" from "Director of
Emergency Measures",
2. Municipalities required to have an Emergency Management Program which
must include: an emergency management bylaw and plans, education and
training programs for staff and other persons involved with emergency
management and response, a public education program, and a community
hazard, risk, and infrastructure analysis program,
3. All emergency management plans and amendments must be submitted to
the Chief, Emergency Management Ontario,
4. Lieutenant Governor in Council may temporarily suspend legislative
provisions to expand abilities to manage an emergency (this provision is
intended to facilitate the management of extreme provincial emergency
events),
5. Public Safety and Security Minister may make regulations and standards
regarding emergency management and may formulate other emergency
plans as required for special conditions in addition to nuclear planning, and
if developed, adherence to the regulations and standards would be required
and enforceable.
A preliminary assessment of Pickering's compliance with the requirements of Bill 148
reveals that the City would meet all of the new demands as long as we continue with
our proposed 2002/2003 Work Plan as outline in Attachment #1. Conducting a
community hazard, risk, and infrastructure analysis program as required by the Bill, is
the only item in the Work Plan that is new to the Pickering Program. Work has already
begun to develop a project outline while staff awaits the release of a set of guidelines
from Emergency Management Ontario that will aid in conducting the project.
n n 4 Report CAO-06-02
Subject: Bill 148, Emergency Management Act
Date: September 25, 2002
Page 3
nn3
2.0
CLARINGTON RESOLUTION
In June, the City of Pickering received a copy of a resolution endorsed by Clarington
Council (see Attachment #2). The resolution requests funding from the Federal and
Provincial Governments to offset the financial challenges that communities experience
as a host municipality to a nuclear facility. Included in Clarington's correspondence was
a request for support of their resolution.
Assistance with funding the Pickering Community Emergency Management Program
would enhance the City's ability to prepare Council, staff, and the public for major
community emergencies, especially one that results from a nuclear cause. Ontario
Power Generation currently provides annual funding that is used to partially cover the
costs of employing a full-time Emergency Response Coordinator position. OPG has
also assisted with numerous other emergency management ventures in the past.
However, additional financing is still required to maintain an ongoing emergency
management program of the calibre that is warranted by the presences of a nuclear
facility. The 2002 / 2003 Work Plan includes targets for conducting Council, staff, and
public education and training which federal and/or provincial funding could augment by
covering some or all of the costs of conducting educational sessions.
Attachments:
1. Community Emergency Management Program 2002 /2003 Work Plan
2. Corporation of the Municipality of Clarington June 24, 2002 Resolution
Prepared By:
Approved/Endorsed By:
Thomas J. Quinn
Chief Administrative Officer
AL. (Joe) Hunwicks
Emergency Response Coordinator
Prepared By:
Thomas E. Mely uk
Division Head, Corporate Projects & Policy
Report CAO-O6-02
Subject: Bill 148, Emergency Management Act
Date: September 25, 2002_~ -
(, {~5
Page 4
T JG:ah
Attachments
Copy: All Directors
J:\P&ECO\SHARE\INTGOV\IG3018\BiII148 Report to Committee of the Whole Oct 15, 2002,doc
Recommended for the consideration of
Pickering City Council
,.
l)iì6
COMMUNITY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
PROPOSED
2002/2003 WORK PLAN SUMMARY
1. Develop a Pickering Community Emergency Management Model that is
consistent with the pending Provincial requirements to address:
Mitigation/Prevention, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery.
2. Review and amend the Pickering Community Emergency Bylaw and
Community Emergency Plan (a very short bylaw will be proposed to serve
as enabling legislation and a simplified Master Community Emergency Plan
will be prepared).
3. Review and amend the Secondary Emergency Plans (e.g. Evacuation,
Public Information, Divisional, etc.).
4. Review and amend Emergency Operating Procedures (e.g. Emergency
Operations Centre set-up, forms, lists, guidelines, resources).
5. Develop and implement an Emergency Management Staff and Council
Education and Training Program.
6. Develop and implement an Emergency Public Education Program (e.g.
amend website information, nuclear alerting process, evacuation
procedures, public information sessions and presentations).
7. Conduct a community risk identification and analysis project and use the
information to guide further development and maintenance of the
Community Emergency Management Program.
8. Assist the Region of Durham, Ontario Power Generation, and the Province
with the implementation of the Nuclear Public Alerting System.
9. Monitor and report on OPG's (nuclear) Waste Management Facility
Expansion during the environmental assessment period.
!:\Draft Emergency Management Documents\Emergency Management Program 2002-2003 War!< Plan Surrvnary,doc
September 25, 2002