The provincial government has proposed amendments to the Emergency Management Act in an attempt to improve responses to natural disasters.
Bill 8 was proposed after a review of Alberta’s response to the 2011 Slake Lake wildfire and the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire, as well as the 2013 floods in southern Alberta.
The draft bill includes mandatory training for elected officials, clarification of liability if individuals do not obey evacuations orders, clarity on who the minister’s lead person is during a state of emergency, and how compensation is handled when property is damaged by emergency response.
“Proposed updates to Alberta’s Emergency Management Act will help position emergency managers throughout the province to better prepare for, and respond to, emergencies and disasters,” International Association of Emergency Managers Canada president Greg Solecki said. “These changes recognize the necessity of regular training, which in turn builds capacity for local authorities, and enhances their ability to respond and promote community resilience.”
First responders, elected officials, emergency management and First Nations communities will be consulted on the bill in the summer.
“I look forward to consulting on these proposed changes with the emergency management community to ensure that all levels of government are working together to protect Albertans,” Municipal Affairs Minister Shaye Anderson said.
