Ontario’s Provincial Emergency Management Strategic Action Plan

There is nothing more important than the safety and well-being of our families and loved ones, and during emergencies Ontarians are counting on us to protect the things that matter most.

The Provincial Emergency Management Strategy and Action Plan (PEMSAP), a first of its kind in Canada, strengthens our ability to be safe, practiced and prepared before, during and after emergencies.

The plan sets out three goals and identifies concrete actions designed to keep Ontario in a state of constant readiness and preparedness.

1. A One-Window Approach through Emergency Management Ontario to ensure emergency management is coordinated quickly and efficiently across the province.

2. Proactive Planning and Monitoring that is grounded in data, analytics and knowledge to inform short and long-term planning for future emergencies.

3. Practiced and Prepared Emergency Response through strengthened emergency management training and public education programs. 

This plan is the result of collaborative engagement with partners, including municipalities and First Nations communities, and will be further strengthened in the future through ongoing engagement to help achieve our vision for a safe, practiced, and prepared Ontario. 

Highlights of the plan include the following: 

• A strengthened provincial governance and accountability framework that includes Emergency Management Ontario as the provincial lead for emergency management coordination. 
• A one window for all Ontarians approach to proactively coordinate with emergency management partners on preparedness and information sharing. 
• Increased local supports for municipalities and Indigenous partners, including a doubling of regional field services staff in 2022 to better support all regions of the province.
• Proactive planning and monitoring, including enhanced flood mapping, a cybersecurity strategy, and increased resources for emergency management partners.  
• Programs to improve community preparedness, including tabletop and priority exercises and a strengthened Ontario Corps. 
• A commitment to annual reports detailing the progress made on the strategy and action plan.   

https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1002685/ontario-preparing-people-and-communities-for-future-emergencies

https://files.ontario.ca/tbs-pemsap-a-safe-and-prepared-ontario-report-en-2023-02-03.pdf