Emergency management legislation
Emergency Management BC (EMBC) coordinates British Columbia's response to emergencies and disasters.
On this page:
- Legislation and regulations
- Modernized emergency management legislation
- Indigenous communities and emergency management legislation
- Reports under the COVID-19 Related Measures Act
Legislation and regulations
The Emergency Program Act (EPA) and related regulations govern how to manage a emergency or disaster in British Columbia:
- Emergency Program Act (EPA)
- Emergency Program Management Regulation
- Compensation and Disaster Financial Assistance Regulation
- Local Authority Emergency Management Regulation
Modernized emergency management legislation
The EPA is being updated to reflect the changing nature of emergencies and disasters. The changes will improve how we manage emergencies like pandemics, floods and wildfires. They also address the impact these events have on people and communities.
- Follow the proposed changes for modernized emergency management legislation
The changes will address new standards and best practices:
- The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
- The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (PDF, 170KB)
- The Draft Principles that Guide the Province of British Columbia’s Relationship with Indigenous Peoples (PDF)
- Addressing the New Normal: 21st Century Disaster Management in British Columbia (PDF, 16.2MB)
- Lessons learned from our response to COVID-19, recent floods and wildfires
Emergency legislation and Indigenous communities
The Governments of Canada and the Province of British Columbia have a 10-year bilateral agreement (the Agreement), to enhance the delivery of emergency management support services to on-reserve First Nations communities in B.C. This agreement enables all First Nations communities on reserves to receive emergency management support equitable to what is currently provided to local authorities.
The term 'Local Authority/ies' refer to municipalities, regional districts, and Treaty First Nations who have specific legislated emergency management requirements set out in the Emergency Program Act (EPA).
Treaty Nation governments may also choose to make their own laws regarding emergency management to the extent that those laws do not conflict with federal or provincial enactments.
Emergency Management Assistance Program (EMAP)
In partnership with First Nations communities, provincial and territorial governments and non-government organizations, Indigenous Services Canada's Emergency Management Assistance Program (EMAP) helps communities on reserve access emergency assistance services.
EMAP provides funding to First Nations communities so they can build resiliency, prepare for natural hazards and respond to them using the four pillars of emergency management.
Reports under the COVID-19 Related Measures Act
Under the COVID-19 Related Measures Act (CRMA), the minister responsible for the Emergency Program Act must report to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly about:
- An order made under section 10
- A regulation made under section 10.1
After they receive the report, the Speaker must lay the report before the Legislative Assembly as soon as possible.
The following reports have been submitted:
2021
- M274 July 5 – Repeal of M012/2021 Face Coverings (COVID-19) Order (PDF, 849KB)
- M273 June 30 – Protective Measures (COVID-19) Order No. 2 (PDF, 897KB)
- M242 June 15 – Repeal of M212 May 25 COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Order No.3 (PDF, 879KB)
- OIC 310 May 27 – COVID-19 (Provincial Court Proceedings Regulation No. 3) (PDF, 1.3MB)
- M212 May 25 – COVID-19 (Travel Restrictions Order No. 3) (PDF, 1.1MB)
- M200 May 20 – Amendments to M012 Face Coverings (COVD-19) Order speaker report (PDF, 1.2MB)
- M182 May 4 - COVID-19 (Travel Restrictions) Order 2 (PDF, 5.7MB)
- M172 April 26 - COVID-19 (Travel Restrictions) Order (PDF, 3.6MB)
- OIC 247 April 21 - COVID-19 (South Coast BC Transportation Authority Act) Regulation (PDF, 1.4MB)
- OIC192 March 31 - COVID-19 (Income Tax) Regulation (PDF, 1.1MB)
- OIC 061 February 8 – COVID-19 (Provincial Court Proceedings) Regulation (PDF, 752KB)
- M012 January 8 – Face Coverings (COVID-19) Order and M013 January 8 – Protective Measures (COVID-19) Order (PDF, 3.4MB)
2020
- M480 December 23 – Food Delivery Service (COVID-19) (PDF, 2.3MB)
- M425 November 27 – COVID-19 (Use of Face Coverings in Indoor Public Spaces) Order (PDF, 4.3MB)
- M416 November 17 - Food and Liquor Premises, Gatherings and Events (COVID-19) Order No. 2 (PDF)
- OIC 579 November 12 - COVID-19 Residential Tenancy Act and Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act (No.3) Regulation (PDF)
- M358 September 25 – Food and liquor premises, gatherings and events (COVID-19) (PDF)
- M324 September 2 – Rescind Haida Gwaii (COVID-19) Order M257/2020 (PDF)
- M314 August 24 – COVID-19 (Gatherings and Events) Order (PDF)
- OIC 475 August 17 – COVID-19 (Residential Tenancy Act and Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act) (No. 2) Regulation (PDF)
- OIC 457 August 5 – COVID-19 (Passenger Transportation Act) Regulation (PDF)
- OIC 453 August 5 – COVID-19 (Limitation Periods in Court Proceedings) Regulation (PDF)
- OIC 449 August 4 – COVID-19 (Residential Tenancy Act and Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act) Regulation (PDF)
- M257 August 4 – Haida Gwaii (COVID-19) Order (PDF)
- M256 August 4 – BC Ferries Medical Travel (COVID-19) Order (PDF)
- M220 July 17 – Health Care Labour Adjustment (COVID-19) Order No. 2 (PDF)
- OIC 393 July 14 – COVID-19 (Societies Act) Regulation (PDF)
The Attorney General is also required to submit reports under the COVID-19 Related Measures Act.
