The BC government is using $2.2 million from its Community Emergency Preparedness Fund to improve and modernize emergency support services.
The Province says more than 57 First Nations and local governments will be able to utilize funds to boost support services for those who are evacuated from their homes during emergencies.
Locally, the Regional District of East Kooteany gets $149,000 to support its ESS capacity building project, find more information from the BC government below:
More than 57 First Nations and local governments will receive funding to improve and modernize emergency support services (ESS) for people evacuated from their homes during emergencies.
“British Columbians who are forced to evacuate their homes often rely on provincially funded emergency support services that are delivered in partnership with First Nations and local governments,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. “This funding will help communities build up capacity to better deliver these supports to people during very stressful situations as we continue modernizing and improving ESS.”
More than $2.2 million from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) will support communities to expand their capacity to provide emergency support services through volunteer recruitment, retention and training, including in-house training, and the purchase of ESS equipment.
The funds will also support the modernization of local ESS programs to move toward digital registration and reporting through the Evacuee Registration and Assistance online tool. This will help communities move to online ESS registration and allow direct payment to evacuees. Additionally, funding will focus on promoting knowledge sharing, enhancing mutual aid between communities, and allow applicants to act as host communities for evacuees.
Funding may be used for buying ESS supplies and equipment, training and exercises for ESS responders, responder recruitment and retention activities, and personal protective equipment for ESS responders.
Funding will go to 57 projects throughout B.C., such as:
* sea-cans for three sub-regions to store ESS supplies such as cots, blankets and generators and a trailer in the East Kootenay Regional District;
* emergency food rations in the event that an emergency cuts off access to Port Alice;
* equipment to establish a 100-bed group lodging facility in Abbotsford;
* ESS trailer and backup solar power system to enable McLeod Lake Indian Band to set up a mobile reception centre;
* an ESS volunteer recruitment campaign, training for volunteers, and laptops in the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen; and
* Emergency Pet Services Training through the Canadian Disaster Animal Response Team, and a trailer for group lodging and pet services supplies on Bowen Island.
In February 2023, the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness committed a further $180 million to CEPF, bringing the total investment to $369 million since its establishment in 2017. More than $113 million has been approved for First Nations and local governments through CEPF for almost 1,400 projects that help communities mitigate and prepare for disasters and climate-related emergencies.
The Community Emergency Preparedness Fund is administered through the Union of British Columbia Municipalities and funds projects that strengthen the resilience of local governments and First Nations in responding to and preparing for natural disasters and climate change.
Local governments and First Nations throughout British Columbia will receive more than $2.2 million in provincial Community Emergency Preparedness Funds as follows:
Abbotsford – Group Lodging Kit
Total approved funding: $29,335.13
Adams Lake Indian Band – ESS Development
Total approved funding: $30,000
Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District – Regional: Expanding ESS Preparedness to the Long Beach EA and Strengthening the ESS Programs in Bamfield and the Alberni Valley
Regional Partners: Port Alberni
Total approved funding: $60,000
Bowen Island – Group Lodging and Pet Services 5.0
Total approved funding: $29,900
Bulkley-Nechako Regional District – Regional: ESS Exercise and Equipment Acquisition
Regional Partners: Houston and Granisle
Total approved funding: $89,238.46
Burns Lake – ESS Team Development
Total approved funding: $29,684
Capital Regional District – Electoral Area Evacuee Registration and Assistance Team
Total approved funding: $18,000
Central Kootenay Regional District – ESS Program Capacity Building and Modernization
Total approved funding: $30,000
Chetwynd – Emergency Support Purchases
Total approved funding: $17,471.94
Chilliwack – ESS Modernization and Reception Centre Supplies
Total approved funding: $28,000
Comox Valley Regional District – Hosting with Humility: Hosting Ourselves
Total approved funding: $25,000
Cowichan Tribes – 2023 ESS Modernization
Total approved funding: $30,000
Cowichan Valley Regional District – Regional: ESS 2023 Rapid Deployment Project
Regional Partners: Ladysmith, Duncan, North Cowichan, Lake Cowichan
Total approved funding: $96,150
Daajing Giids – ESS Storage and Supplies
Total approved funding: $29,965
Dawson Creek – Regional: ESS Recruitment and Regionalization
Regional Partners: Pouce Coupe
Total approved funding: $40,533.57
East Kootenay Regional District – Regional: East Kootenay ESS Capacity Building Project
Regional Partners: Cranbrook, Fernie, Invermere, Canal Flats
Total approved funding: $149,907
Fraser Valley Regional District – ESS Group Lodging Security Implementation
Total approved funding: $30,000
Hudson’s Hope – ESS Mobility
Total approved funding: $13,980
Kamloops – 2023 ESS Training, Supplies and Equipment Modernization
Total approved funding: $30,000
Kent – Kent Harrison ESS Resources Revitalization
Total approved funding: $29,972.84
Kitselas First Nation – Support Supply Project
Total approved funding: $30,000
Langley City – ESS Serving the Community
Total approved funding: $29,864.94
Leq’á:mel First Nation – ESS Development Project
Total approved funding: $30,000
Lower Nicola Indian Band – Program Support 2023
Total approved funding: $30,000
McLeod Lake Indian Band – ESS Mobile Reception Centre
Total approved funding: $28,359.40
Merritt – ESS Capacity Building
Total approved funding: $28,391.81
Metchosin – Backup Facilities and Resources
Total approved funding: $30,000
Mission – ESS Team Safety Initiative
Total approved funding: $29,232
Mount Waddington Regional District – Critical Incident Stress Management
Total approved funding: $30,000
New Westminster – Modernization of New Westminster’s ESS
Total approved funding: $19,090.50
Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen – Regional: 2023 ESS Capacity Building
Regional partners: Summerland, Princeton, Oliver, Keremeos
Total approved funding: $117,000
Penticton – ESS 2023
Total approved funding: $25,500
Port Alice – ESS Food Supply
Total approved funding: $16,000
Port Coquitlam – ESS Recruitment, Training and Resources
Total approved funding: $26,190.71
Port Moody – Capacity, Care and Containers
Total approved funding: $23,343.24
Prince Rupert – ESS Capacity and Resourcing Support
Total approved funding: $3,892
Saanich – Modernization Project 2023
Total approved funding: $24,613.25
Saulteau First Nations – ESS Mobile Storage
Total approved funding: $30,000
Semá:th First Nation – Development Project
Total approved funding: $30,000
Sidney – Reception Centre Mobile Response
Total approved funding: $30,000
Skwah First Nation – ESS Development Project
Total approved funding: $30,000
Skwláx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw – ESS Development Project
Total approved funding: $30,000
Smithers – Regional: Bulkley ESS Transport, Security and Volunteer Safety Project
Regional partners: Telkwa
Total approved funding: $60,000
Squamish – ESS Operational Readiness Project
Total approved funding: $29,713
Squamish Nation – ESS Resilience Project
Total approved funding: $29,870.67
Strathcona Regional District – Regional: Hosting with Humility: Adapting the ESS structure to expand Host Community capacity
Regional partners: Campbell River, Ehattesaht First Nation, Homalco First Nation, Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’ First Nations, Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation, Nuchatlaht First Nation, Gold River, Sayward, Tahsis, Zeballos
Total approved funding: $294,630
T’it’q’et – ESS Training and Supply Project
Total approved funding: $30,000
Taylor – 2023 Taylor ESS – Training Project
Total approved funding: $20,000
Thompson-Nicola Regional District – ESS Capacity Building
Total approved funding: $28,500.40
Tsawwassen First Nation – ESS Trailer Supplies
Total approved funding: $28,803.29
Uchucklesaht Tribe – ESS Program Support 2023
Total approved funding: $29,953
Vancouver – ESS Equipment/Supplies for Equity Denied Groups
Total approved funding: $29,993.37
Victoria – Modernization Project 2023
Total approved funding: $26,145.39
We Wai Kai Nation – ESS Trailer
Total approved funding: $30,000
Whistler – ESS Preparedness Grant
Total approved funding: $17,749
White Rock – ESS Modernization Equipment
Total approved funding: $30,000
Williams Lake – Building City of Williams Lake ESS Capacity
Total approved funding: $19,221.72