Province Seeking Input On Support For Evacuees

The Province wants to hear from people about the support available when they must evacuate their homes during a disaster.

With the increasing frequency and severity of wildfires and floods due to climate change, the Province is revamping its approach to emergencies to ensure people and communities are receiving the support they need.

“During the 2023 wildfire season, thousands of people were asked to evacuate their home on short notice and the Province was there to support them,” said George Heyman, acting Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness and Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.

“Times like last summer are challenging, uncertain and emotional for people, communities and businesses, and we learned a lot about how we can better support people in the future from experience and conversations that are ongoing. Your input is incredibly important and is essential to ensuring our work on improving Emergency Support Services matches the needs of people who require them the most.”

A part of the work involves updating the Emergency Support Services (ESS) program to better meet the needs of people requiring support when they are evacuated from their home due to an emergency.

The ESS program, funded by the Province and administered through First Nations and local governments, provides short-term support to people affected by disasters, including shelter, food, transportation, clothing, and incidentals.

To gather wide-ranging and diverse perspectives, the Province is seeking feedback from evacuees, front-line workers, volunteers, families, and businesses about how ESS could be improved.

The public survey will be open until February 9 and can be accessed at Government of British Columbia. 

The feedback collected from the survey, coupled with information gathered through extensive engagement, will support the Province’s work through the Premier’s expert task force on emergencies to make enhancements to ESS prior to the 2024 wildfire season, as well as long-term changes.

For more information, visit Government of British Columbia.