Regulation BEFORE repealed by BC Reg 184/2024, effective July 8, 2024.
| B.C. Reg. 477/94 O.C. 1498/94 | Deposited December 16, 1994 |
Emergency Program Act
Emergency Program Management Regulation
[includes amendments up to B.C. Reg. 200/98]
Interpretation
1 In this regulation:
"Act" means the Emergency Program Act;
"officer in charge" means commissioner as defined in the Police Act.
[am. B.C. Reg. 200/98, s. (a).]
Provincial Emergency Program
2 (1) The Provincial Emergency Program must
(a) prepare and maintain a hazard, risk and vulnerability study that identifies potential emergencies and disasters that could affect all or any part of British Columbia,
(b) assess the potential impact on people or property of the emergencies and disasters referred to in paragraph (a),
(c) make recommendations to the minister respecting emergency prevention, preparedness, response and recovery strategies in relation to
(i) legislation, regulation and policy, and
(ii) the creation and maintenance of an emergency management program,
(d) provide advice and assistance to other ministers in the development and implementation of multiministry or multiagency emergency plans and procedures,
(e) provide advice and assistance to local authorities in the development of local emergency management organizations and local emergency programs, and
(f) coordinate or assist in coordinating the government's response to emergencies and disasters.
(2) On the request of the minister, the Provincial Emergency Program must
(a) prepare, or assist the minister in the preparation of, Provincial emergency plans,
(b) participate on behalf of or in conjunction with the government in any initiatives by which coordinated plans may be developed and cooperation and mutual assistance may be fostered between the government and its agencies and one or more of the federal government, the governments of neighbouring provinces, states and territories and any of their agencies in respect of the prevention of, preparation for, response to and recovery from emergencies and disasters, and
(c) assist local authorities with response to or recovery from emergencies or disasters that are of such magnitude that the local authorities are incapable of effectively responding to or recovering from them.
(3) In addition to any other functions the Provincial Emergency Program is required or entitled to perform under the Act or this regulation, the Provincial Emergency Program may do one or more of the following:
(a) provide advice and assistance to other ministers in emergency prevention, preparedness, response and recovery;
(b) conduct training and training exercise programs for individuals or organizations concerned with emergency planning and operations;
(c) provide advice and assistance to business and industry in relation to emergency preparedness, response and recovery;
(d) assist in the coordination of emergency plans between local authorities and the government, government corporations and government agencies.
Emergency plans and procedures of ministers
3 (1) Each minister must develop emergency plans and procedures to be followed in the event of an emergency or disaster.
(2) The emergency plans and procedures referred to in subsection (1) may include plans and procedures to assist local authorities with response to or recovery from emergencies or disasters that are of such magnitude that the local authorities are incapable of effectively responding to or recovering from them.
(3) The emergency plans and procedures of a minister that are referred to in subsections (1) and (2) must
(a) be coordinated and consistent with the emergency plans and procedures of every other minister,
(b) set out, in business continuation plans and procedures, the manner in which and the means by which that minister will continue to provide essential services despite an emergency or disaster,
(c) set out the manner in which and the means by which the government will respond to the hazards for which that minister is designated as the key minister in Schedule 1, and
(d) set out the manner in which and the means by which that minister will perform the duties, if any, set out for that minister in Schedule 2 or as may be imposed on that minister by the Lieutenant Governor in Council.
Emergency plans and procedures of government corporations
4 Each government corporation referred to in Schedule 2 must develop emergency plans and procedures that set out the manner in which and the means by which the government corporation will perform the duties set out for it in Schedule 2.
Inter-Agency Emergency Preparedness Council
5 (1) In order to facilitate the coordination of the plans and procedures referred to in section 3, every minister referred to in Schedule 2 must appoint one representative to a committee to be known as the Inter-Agency Emergency Preparedness Council.
(2) At the request of the council, a minister responsible for any designated government corporation or other government agency may appoint a representative from a government corporation or other government agency for which the minister has responsibility.
(3) The council must meet at least twice a year.
(4) The Provincial Emergency Program must
(a) provide a representative to act as co-chair to the council,
(b) provide a representative to act as the council's secretary, and
(c) provide a reasonable level of funding to support the operations of the council.
(5) The other co-chair for the council must be selected on an annual basis by the council.
(6) The council must, at the request of and in the manner and at the times required by the Lieutenant Governor in Council or the minister, report to the minister on
(a) the activities of the council since the date of its last report or for such other period as may be required, and
(b) any other matters specified in the request.
(a) recommend emergency preparedness, response and recovery measures to each minister, and
(b) provide to each minister referred to in Schedule 2 the assistance necessary to ensure that that minister's emergency plans and procedures are coordinated and consistent with the plans and procedures of all other ministers and with the government's overall emergency preparedness strategies.
Role of ministers in relation to hazards
6 A minister referred to in Schedule 1 is responsible for coordinating the government's response to the occurrence of any of the hazards for which the minister is designated as the key minister in that schedule.
Role of ministers in emergency or disaster
7 In the event of an emergency or disaster, whether declared or not, each minister referred to in Schedule 2
(a) must cause the minister's emergency plan and procedures to be implemented
(i) in accordance with the directions, if any, of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, and
(ii) in a manner that is, to the greatest extent possible, coordinated and consistent with the implementation of the emergency plans and procedures of every other minister referred to in Schedule 2,
(b) must make staff and resources available, to the greatest extent possible, on the request of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, the director or any other minister carrying out emergency measures, and
(c) may, on the request of a local authority, provide to the local authority such advice and assistance as is practicable in respect of emergency response.
Role of government corporations in emergency or disaster
8 In the event of an emergency or disaster, each government corporation referred to in Schedule 2 must implement its emergency plans and procedures to the extent required.
Authority for policing and fire fighting in declared state of emergency
9 Without limiting section 10 (1) of the Act, in the event of a declaration of a state of emergency
(a) the Lieutenant Governor in Council or the Attorney General may
(i) assume jurisdiction and control over all police forces in British Columbia, as described in section 1.1 of the Police Act, and their reserve, auxiliary or special forces, and
(ii) appoint the officer in charge to exercise the authority of the chief constable of those forces, and
(b) the Lieutenant Governor in Council or the Attorney General may
(i) assume the jurisdiction and control of all fire fighting and fire prevention services in all or any part of British Columbia, and
(ii) appoint the fire commissioner to exercise authority over those services.
[am. B.C. Reg. 200/98, s. (b).]
Ministers Responsible for Coordinating
Government Response to Specified Hazards
| HAZARD GROUPS | HAZARD | KEY MINISTERS |
| Accidents | • air crashes • marine accidents • motor vehicle: crashes | Attorney General Attorney General Attorney General |
| Atmosphere | • snow storms • blizzards • ice storms and fog • hailstorms • lightning • hurricanes • tornadoes • heat waves | Attorney General Attorney General Attorney General Attorney General Attorney General Attorney General Attorney General Attorney General |
| Dam Failure | • dam failure (includes foundations and abutments) | Environment, Lands and Parks |
| Disease and Epidemics | • human diseases • animal diseases • plant diseases • pest infestations | Health Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Agriculture, Fisheries and Food |
| Explosions and Emissions | • gas and gas leaks (pipeline) • gas and gas leaks (gas wells) • mine • other explosions | Environment, Lands and Parks Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Municipal Affairs |
| Fire — Urban and Rural | • fire (urban and rural — excludes interface fire) | Municipal Affairs |
| General | • General — non-specific or not identified | Attorney General |
| Geological | • avalanches: — highways — other • debris avalanches and debris flows • landslides: — highways — other • submarine slides • land subsidence | Transportation and Highways Attorney General Environment, Lands and Parks Transportation and Highways Attorney General Environment, Lands and Parks Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources |
| Hazardous materials | • hazardous spills — general (on site or transport routes) — radiation — infectious materials | Environment, Lands and Parks Health Health |
| Hydrologic | • drought • erosion and accretion • flooding • ice jams • storm surges | Attorney General Environment, Lands and Parks Transportation and Highways Transportation and Highways Attorney General |
| Power outage | • electrical power outage | Attorney General |
| Riots | • riots/public disorder | Attorney General |
| Seismic | • ground motion effects • Tsunamis | Attorney General Attorney General |
| Space object | • space object crash | Attorney General |
| Structural | • structural collapse | Attorney General |
| Terrorism | • terrorism (hostile act against state) | Attorney General |
| Volcanic | • ash falls • pyroclastic flows • lava flows • mudflows | Attorney General Attorney General Attorney General Attorney General |
| Wildfire | • wildfire (includes interface fire) | Forests |
Duties of Ministers and Government
Corporations in the Event of an Emergency
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
• provide advice to farmers, aquaculturists and fishers on the protection of crops, livestock and Provincially managed fish and marine plant stocks;
• coordinate the emergency evacuation and care of poultry and livestock;
• inspect and regulate food quality;
• identify food and potable water supplies;
• assist the Minister of Health in the inspection and regulation of food safety.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
• provide advice to local governments and Provincial ministries and government corporations on legal matters relating to the preparation and promulgation of emergency orders, regulations, declarations and contractual arrangements;
• prepare, promulgate and implement orders relating to law enforcement and internal security
• through the police force having jurisdiction, provide:
- advice to local authorities respecting the maintenance of law and order;
- reinforcement of local police services;
- security control of emergency areas;
- traffic and crowd control;
- search and rescue services for missing persons on land and in inland waters;
• provide coroner's services including the operation of temporary morgues, identification of the dead and registration of death;
• through the Provincial Emergency Program:
- provide a 24-hour capability to direct requests for emergency assistance to appropriate municipal, provincial, federal or private sector agencies;
- serve as the point of contact for requests for emergency assistance from and to the government of Canada, unless otherwise specified in intergovernmental agreements;
- administer the emergency assistance vote to cover those of the incremental costs
(a) that are incurred by local governments, ministries and government corporations in responding to an emergency, and
(b) that the minister has approved;
- organize and administer registered volunteers and temporary workers as requested or detailed in emergency response plans;
- coordinate the emergency response activities of supporting ministries as requested or detailed in emergency response plans.
MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, LANDS AND PARKS
• provide professional and technical advice and direction at hazardous material spills or pollution spills;
• ensure the proper disposal of hazardous wastes and pollutants;
• assess and monitor air quality;
• provide flood forecasts and bulletins;
• provide flood assessment, technical services and planning staff at government operation centres in the case of floods;
• provide conservation officers to act as special constables to reinforce police forces in law and order and traffic duties;
• provide dam safety and inspection services.
MINISTER OF FINANCE AND CORPORATE RELATIONS
• provide risk management services in respect of possible compensation and liability claims;
• arrange the assignment of suitably qualified public employees from various ministries to special emergency duties;
• coordinate, in cooperation with ministries, the establishment and maintenance of Emergency Financial Response and Back-up Teams throughout British Columbia.
MINISTER OF FORESTS
• provide Ministry of Forests personnel, equipment, supplies, telecommunications equipment, aviation support and weather information to assist in emergency response operations.
MINISTER OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES
• provide government aircraft and vehicles;
• provide for the leasing or purchase of emergency supplies and equipment;
• through government communications office, coordinate the Provincial government emergency information services.
MINISTER OF HEALTH
• provide public health measures including epidemic control and immunization programs;
• provide and coordinate ambulance services and triage, treatment, transportation and care of casualties;
• provide the continuity of care for persons evacuated from hospitals or other health institutions and for medically dependant persons from other care facilities;
• provide standard medical units consisting of emergency hospitals, advanced treatment centres, casualty collection units and blood donor packs;
• inspect and monitor potable water supplies;
• inspect and regulate food quality with the assistance of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food;
• provide critical incident stress debriefing and counselling services;
• provide support and supervision services for physically challenged or medically disabled persons affected by an emergency.
MINISTER OF MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS
• through the office of the fire commissioner, coordinate fire fighting in a declared state of emergency.
MINISTER OF SOCIAL SERVICES
• provide the following:
- food, clothing and shelter in private or congregate facilities;
- registration and information to assist in locating and reuniting of families;
- care of children who are not accompanied by a guardian or custodian, and mentally challenged persons;
- necessary financial assistance or assistance in kind;
• provide clothing, food, shelter, registration and information services as may be required by emergency workers;
• provide assistance to local authorities in the planning and operation of emergency social services consisting of emergency feeding, clothing, lodging, registration and inquiry and personal services.
MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION AND HIGHWAYS
• coordinate and arrange for transportation, engineering and construction resources.
BRITISH COLUMBIA FERRY CORPORATION
• provide priority loading for the transport of emergency personnel, equipment and supplies;
• provide ferries to serve as reception centres, hospitals, response centres or other emergency facilities.
BRITISH COLUMBIA HYDRO AND POWER AUTHORITY
• coordinate the restoration of electric facilities, taking into account domestic, commercial, industrial and government requirements;
• interrupt hydro services when they pose a threat to life or property;
• conduct safety measures in respect to B.C. Hydro dams, including initiating warnings in the event of dam failures.
BRITISH COLUMBIA RAIL LIMITED
• provide priority movement of emergency personnel, equipment and supplies;
• in cooperation with Transport Canada, assist at railway crashes, derailments in the conduct of rescue operations, removal of debris and the cleanup of hazardous material;
• provide railcars for emergency facilities;
• provide specialized equipment.
BRITISH COLUMBIA SYSTEMS CORPORATION
• provide technical advice and assistance on the acquisition of telecommunications equipment, systems and computers.
BRITISH COLUMBIA TRANSIT
• coordinate requirements for public transportation, including school and privately owned buses.
BRITISH COLUMBIA BUILDINGS CORPORATION
• provide priority allocation of government buildings for operational accommodation, storage or other emergency requirements;
• make emergency rental or lease arrangements for private sector buildings or other infrastructure requirements;
• assess damage to government buildings.
Note: this regulation repeals B.C. Regs. 467/59, 472/59, 20/63, 59/63, 101/63, 92A/66, 48/69, 666/76 and 243/83.
[Provisions of the Emergency Program Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 111, relevant to the enactment of this regulation: section 28]