Under Provincial legislation, the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMPCA) , every municipality in Ontario is required to have an Emergency Management Program.  The mandate of Halton Region's Emergency Management Program is to enhance the safety of our residents and reduce property damage and economic loss in the event of an emergency. Our program is designed to ensure that Halton is a disaster resilient community that is ready to deal with any potential, imminent or actual emergency situation.

Halton's Emergency Management program takes a comprehensive approach to identifying hazards that are most likely to impact our community. This risk-based approach ensures that the right people and resources are effectively and efficiently directed towards responding to events that could jeopardize the health, welfare and economic stability of the people who live and work in Halton.

Halton's emergency management efforts are supported and sustained by our numerous partners.

What is an emergency?

In Ontario, an "emergency" is defined as:

A situation or impending situation caused by the forces of nature, an accident or an intentional act that constitutes a danger of major proportion to life and property.

Emergency Management & Civil Protection Act

Who can declare an emergency?

The Head of Council of a Municipality may declare that an emergency exists in the Municipality or in any part thereof and may take such action and may make such orders as he/she considers necessary and are not contrary to law to implement the emergency plan of the Municipality and to protect the property, health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the emergency area.

What is the Emergency Response Plan?

The Emergency Response Plan discusses the basics of the Emergency Management Program and provides a breakdown of the roles and responsibilities for the various individuals and groups that will respond to emergencies.  This can occur at the request of one of the Municipalities or where an emergency affects 2 or more Municipalities or the Region as a whole.

What are the components of the Program?

Halton's Emergency Management staff coordinate projects and activities that support the 5 components of the Region's Emergency Management Program:

• Prevention - taking action to prevent emergencies from happening
• Mitigation - initiating education and awareness activities to reduce or prevent the impact of emergencies
• Preparedness - developing emergency response plans, conducting training and exercises and educating the public
• Response - managing emergency situations and providing timely, relevant and accurate emergency information to the public
• Recovery - developing and implementing measures that expedite a return to normal activities and the recovery of losses