EXCHANGE EXCHANGE is is aa quarterly quarterly magazine magazine published published by by the the Local Local Government Government Management Management Association Association (LGMA) (LGMA) of of British British Columbia. Columbia. It’s It’s about about sharing sharing information, information, exchanging exchanging ideas ideas on on best best practices, practices, enhancing enhancing professional professional development development and and building building networks. networks. Reach Reach us us at at www.lgma.ca. www.lgma.ca.
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CASE OF INTEREST
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LGMA100 PROJECTS
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DISASTER RESPONSE LESSONS
FALL 2018
Dealing with Disasters: The New Normal
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Comprehensive legal services for municipalities and regional districts throughout British Columbia. We help to lay the foundation for growth and success in large and small communities across the province by supplying local governments with the legal advice and strategic support required to help them carry out their mandates.
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Update In this Issue President’s Report Executive Director’s Report Case of Interest Members Page Our Town
Professional Development 2 3 4 5 23 24
Tips & Tactics: Emergency Management Resources and Effective Crisis Communications
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Programs & Events
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6 Participate in a LGMA100 Project
Exchange is the magazine for members of the Local Government Management Association of British Columbia. Exchange is distributed quarterly to over 900 members of the LGMA, as well as Mayors and Regional District Chairs.
From a 10-part documentary series to a new scholarship to tree planting, B.C. local governments have many opportunities to help celebrate the LGMA’s 100th anniversary in 2019.
Dealing with Disasters: The New Normal
Exchange is printed on Sappi Flo, an FSC® Certified 10% recycled fibre paper at Island Business Print Group.
LGMA Office: Suite 710A 880 Douglas Street Victoria, BC V8W 2B7 Telephone: 250.383.7032 Email: office@lgma.ca Web: www.lgma.ca Contact the Editor: Email: editor@lgma.ca
Cover Illustration: MHJ/Getty Images
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8 Today’s natural disasters are more frequent and cause more damage and disruption than ever before. Find out what support is available to help local governments adjust to the new normal for disaster preparedness and response.
14 Disaster Response: Lessons Learned in the Cariboo Fires Read about the successful strategies and lessons learned as B.C.’s Cariboo region dealt with the devastating impact of wildfires and mass evacuations.
Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government
24 Our Town: City of Cranbrook Learn how this Kootenay gem – the largest urban centre in southeastern B.C. – is working to create one of the safest, happiest and healthiest communities in Canada.
IN THIS ISSUE
There seems to be growing recognition that the new normal is a trend towards more severe natural disasters, happening more often and in more areas.
’m not sure if anyone noticed, but we were a bit late getting the Fall 2018 edition to your mailbox. My apologies for the delayed publication. We thought it would be a great idea to have a timely edition on emergency management, but it turns out it was a bit too timely. We couldn’t schedule people for interviews because they were too busy responding to wildfires. That said, it has been fascinating to work on this edition as I had the opportunity to hear from people who have had their feet to the fire this past couple summers – hopefully not literally.
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Another thing you may not know is that crisis communication is one of my areas of expertise, and I have always believed it is a critical component of emergency response and recovery. Until recently, I often felt that the only people who agreed with me were emergency management professionals and my fellow communicators. That’s certainly changed with the introduction of social media and the ensuing demand for transparency and timely information sharing. I worked with the Justice Institute of British Columbia to develop an Information Officer course in 2012, and I’ve been teaching it since it was introduced. It’s interesting that the demand for this course continues to rise in tandem with the social media craziness out there and the alarming increase in natural disasters across Canada. All of this background is really just establishing that I think emergency preparedness, response and recovery is incredibly important, and it’s great to see the work being done to support continuous improvement in this area. There seems to be growing recognition that the new normal is a trend towards more severe natural disasters, happening more often and in more areas. Even over the past several weeks, the devastation from hurricanes in the southern U.S. and tornados – TORNADOS! – in Ontario have monopolized social media trending topics and media coverage.
In the Disaster Response: Lessons Learned in the Cariboo Fires case study, we hear from municipal and regional government employees who spent the 2017 summer in a 77-day emergency activation, followed by recovery efforts, only to be bogged down again with wildfires this past summer. It’s difficult to focus on delivering work plans that support Council’s strategic goals when your time is monopolized by evacuations and emergency response and recovery. At the same time, we hear how amazing it is to be part of the local government family, where you can ask for help and immediately receive assistance from your colleagues, whether through advice or staff support. It’s also important for municipal and regional governments to understand their responsibilities when it comes to emergencies, and the resources and assistance available from the provincial government. In Dealing with Disasters: The New Normal, we learn how provincial government departments and particularly Emergency Management BC support emergency response and recovery, as well as what is being done to support local government managers as they develop emergency plans and advise elected officials on their role in an emergency. The trend towards natural disasters and their terrible impact on our natural landscapes and communities is evident. It’s reassuring to see how municipal and regional governments are rallying to support their communities and each other, keeping people safe, protecting property whenever feasible, and moving forward with recovery initiatives to help communities thrive in the long term. Therese Mickelson, ABC Editor
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PRESIDENT’S REPORT
As with any large-scale life event or new experience, being involved in emergency management is no doubt an immense opportunity for our members to grow their skillsets and experience.
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mergencies in our communities bring unique challenges for local governments. They are difficult to manage in the moment, but also present opportunities for communities to strengthen their resiliency. No matter where our members work and live in the province, disasters and large-scale events can happen at any time. British Columbia is a province full of spectacular natural amenities, but these natural amenities come with a number of serious risks that range from spring floods to summer wildfires and winter avalanches. As our communities continue to grow and as the urban and rural interface continues to reach into more areas that were once left natural, we must learn more about how to properly prepare for and mitigate the risks posed by potential emergencies. We must learn from communities who have lived through adverse events and understand where they succeeded in their response. We must also seek to understand from these communities where changes for improvement can be made for the next time. We must learn from the increasing frequency of large scale natural events such as floods and fires. It is clear that the matter is no longer “if an emergency happens” but “when an emergency will happen.” We, as local government professionals, must learn how our everyday decisions and the work we do has an impact on how our community is able to respond to and recover from emergencies. Our members are instrumental in the timely response needed to support a community experiencing an emergency situation and are often in leadership roles when coordinating resources. As leaders within our organizations, our members also become leaders in the community during times of crisis and response. We know our members are up for the task, but they must be prepared to take on these additional leadership responsibilities in situations with high levels of emotion and distress, political agendas and complex interests.
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Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government
To be effective leaders in these situations, local government managers should be well prepared for the role they will play prior to any potential emergency event, during such an emergency event, and also how to effectively manage the aftermath once an emergency situation has passed and the true effects can be seen. This is when the real work begins. As with any large-scale life event or new experience, being involved in emergency management is no doubt an immense opportunity for our members to grow their skillsets and expertise. Understanding how to respond effectively in emergency situations is a capability that can only come from lived experience for many. These experiences can also test the limits of a person. Growth can be painful. The importance of developing strong relationships with outside agencies, both within the community and at the provincial government level, also becomes evident during an emergency management situation. Members must ensure they grow these relationships prior to any emergency situation in order to be able to rely on these partners for collaborative response and recovery efforts. As local government professionals, our members have all developed a suite of qualities that are critical in times of crisis, from the adaptability our members exercise on a daily basis when balancing the needs of their communities, politicians, the public and staff, to the vision they have for their communities in the future with enhanced livability and high levels of service and infrastructure. We must embrace the challenges and opportunities presented by emergency management preparedness, response and recovery. Mark Koch President
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Thank you to all those dedicated local government staff and volunteers who so ably supported the emergency operations centres and emergency social services this past flood and wildfire season.
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hortly after we launched our 100th anniversary year-long celebrations at the Annual Conference in May and as I started preparing for my annual summer road trip to meet our members, I realized I was going to fall seriously short of my goal to visit all 189 local governments before our 100th year. Even with an epic trip to visit our members along Highways 97 and 16 in the north, it was disappointing to accept that I was never going to come close to meeting my goal. Meeting CAOs and their staff in their communities has been a wonderful opportunity for me to learn more about local government operations across B.C. and to better understand and appreciate the challenges of leadership faced by our members day in and day out.
I started out on June 18 after opening MATI Leadership the night before on Bowen Island and made my way north to Haida Gwai’i. Over the next two weeks, I covered nearly 3,600 kilometres, visiting 28 communities and connecting with 30 CAOs. As I left the Fraser Canyon and started the journey towards the Cariboo, a sign on the side of the road telling me to Prepare to Meet God left me wondering whether I was on my last journey or just heading into God’s Country. I know now it was the latter! I write this following a wonderful B.C. Day spent hiking to a gorgeous beach on Vancouver Island’s west coast for a picnic lunch and being wonderstruck again and again by the rugged, wild, diverse beauty of our province. That same sense of awe hit me at every turn on my northern excursion this summer, with the ever-changing landscape bringing a new appreciation for the geological history of this province that has left us with abundant and lush forests, farmlands and fisheries, and jaw-dropping scenery. There were many “aha” moments for me along the way. LGMA has always appreciated the effort that members make to attend our training sessions in the north, but until you actually drive the distances between communities, it truly is only a theoretical appreciation. Hardy northerners think nothing of driving eight hours – one way – to attend an LGMA session somewhere in a larger centre we think of as “central”. Not once did I drive a straight eight hours – hitting home for me that making it easier to access training has to continue to be one of our overarching goals.
The visible contributions of the resource industries in virtually every community was a sobering reminder that the quality of life I enjoy in the “south” is thanks in large part to the incredibly hard-working and resilient communities of the north. Whether logging, fishing, or mining, there were many memorials along the way to those who have lost their lives in these dangerous professions to support the strong economic health of B.C. The economic development challenges faced by many communities also left me contemplating what the future will look like for the next generations of local government staff. Whatever I had previously thought about pipelines, I was also forced to rethink my own views around the tensions between the need to continue to grow the economy and provide jobs, and the need to protect this land and our oceans. Every town, every village, every city I drove into was amazing in its own way. Some were in beautiful settings, some had beautified their downtowns, others had a wonderful sense of community. I enjoyed learning about each of them in my walks about town and chats with staff, and I was impressed by the resourcefulness of local governments, the cooperation across and between communities, and the significant efforts to engage with and build relations with First Nations. Thank you to each and every one of the communities who welcomed me and helped me to learn more and appreciate your work. You should be proud of your achievements, your tenacity and your resilience. And for the remaining 64 communities I still need to visit – well, I can’t wait to get there as soon as I can! Thank you also to all those dedicated local government staff and volunteers who so ably supported the emergency operations centres and emergency social services this past flood and wildfire season. All the best to everyone as you make your way through the elections this fall – don’t hesitate to be in touch if the Association can provide you with any assistance or support. Nancy Taylor Executive Director
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By James Goulden and Sarah McCalla Norton Rose Fulbright Canada
CASE of INTEREST
More than Just a Local Emergency Plan
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merging from yet another summer directly impacted by wildfire or by smoky skies, local governments may find themselves dusting off, or reflecting on, their own emergency management capacity and tool kit.
In British Columbia, the Emergency Program Act (EPA) governs emergency planning, response and recovery. It empowers and specifies that local governments remain responsible for the direction and control of their emergency response within their jurisdiction. In British Columbia emergency management is a shared responsibility between local authorities (municipalities, regional districts and Treaty First Nations) and the provincial government. Local authorities have designated responsibilities set out in the EPA and in the Local Authority Emergency Planning Regulation (the Regulation). The EPA requires municipalities and regional districts to establish and maintain an emergency management organization and to prepare a local emergency plan. The Regulation requires that plans be periodically reviewed and that the local authority have a set procedure in place to govern that review. We suggest that local governments ensure that they have a process in place for the review of their local emergency plan at least every few years, if not more often. Many municipalities and regional districts set out roles and responsibilities with respect to emergency plans within their emergency program bylaws. Local governments may also enter into mutual-aid agreements. These inter-governmental mutual-aid agreements typically set out how neighbouring authorities plan to coordinate the sharing of supplies and personnel and their expectations with respect to liability, compensation and reimbursement. Proactively drafted zoning and building bylaws also play a role. For example, where the language of the applicable bylaws allowed, the British Columbia Supreme Court confirmed that it was reasonable for a building official to refuse to issue a permit for a property located in a wildfire risk area that would have no access for fire response vehicles (Guest v. North Vancouver (District), 2012 BCSC 1626). During an imminent or current emergency, a local government may declare that a state of local emergency exists. This enables a local authority to access a number of extraordinary powers (EPA, sections 10 (1)(d) through (l)) in order to do all acts or implement all procedures necessary to prevent and respond to alleviate the effects of an emergency.
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Responding to an emergency is expensive. For example, it may require payment for emergency social services or livestock shelter or health arrangements, clean up and debris removal, overtime salaries, and contractor fees. Eligible costs associated with responding to and recovering from an emergency are reimbursed by the provincial government through Emergency Management British Columbia (EMBC). It may be possible to avoid incurring some of the noneligible costs if the list of exceptions in the Compensation and Disaster Financial Assistance Regulation is reviewed in advance. Some legal protections are available for local governments when facing post-emergency private compensation claims. When the SARS outbreak hit Toronto, claims were commenced against the provincial government, alleging, among other things, a negligent failure to plan for a public health emergency, a failure to issue proper directives, and a premature lifting of the state of emergency. The Ontario Court of Appeal dismissed each of the claims, confirming that while the government had a duty to protect the public from the outbreak, individual residents were not owed a private duty of care and so could not bring a claim for damages (see e.g. Laroza Estate v. Ontario, 2009 ONCA 373; Abarquez v. Ontario, 2009 ONCA 374). This line of cases could protect a local government from claims that it was negligent when deciding how it will act during an emergency. Once a decision has been made as to how the local government will proceed, there could be liability if agents of the local government do not properly carry out their operational tasks. However, there is some protection here as well. Section 18 of the EPA adds an exemption from civil liability for those persons acting as appointed, authorized or required under the EPA in good faith so long as they are not grossly negligent (which generally requires a marked departure from ordinary standards of conduct). This may protect local governments where, for example, well-meaning public servants inadvertently make an error when carrying out their duties during an emergency. In what is good practice, many local governments echo this provision in their emergency program bylaws. Driven by the changing nature and intensity of emergencies and disasters in recent years, a flexible approach to emergency management is required. Applied in the legal context, local governments would be well-served to keep their bylaws current, proactively seek out creative solutions, and regularly check in with their legal counsel and with EMBC on evolving options and best practices.
LGMA UPDATES
Participate in a LGMA100 Project Help the LGMA Celebrate 100 Years of Supporting Local Government The LGMA, then called the Municipal Officers’ Association of British Columbia, welcoming delegates to its 1961 Annual Conference in Victoria. Join the LGMA at its 2019 Annual Conference in Vancouver June 10-13 and help us celebrate 100 years of supporting local government professionals as we look ahead to the next century.
“…it would be to the advantage of the Province as a whole, if an Association of Municipal Officials of BC were formed for [the] interchange of ideas and the more efficient performance of their duties.” With these words on Oct. 8, 1919, the Local Government Management Association of BC was founded. Now, as the LGMA readies to celebrate its centennial year, we are excited to announce a number of LGMA100 Projects designed to celebrate the impact our members have made in communities across our province for the past 100 years.
100 Years of Local Government – Growing a Profession This 10-part documentary series will explore the growth of the local government profession over the past 100 years. Each month beginning in September and continuing to the LGMA’s Annual Conference in June, the LGMA will post a new video exploring a different decade. Watch for videos at www.lgma.ca.
B.C. First Nations Public Service Scholarship This scholarship aims to provide support for Indigenous professionals to access training related to the administration or management of public services in their First Nation government. To learn more and make a donation, visit www.vancouverfoundation.ca/lgmabc.
A 10-part documentary video series has been developed as part of the LGMA100 celebrations.
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Plant a Tree to Celebrate the Work of Local Government Professionals With the support of BC Hydro, we are encouraging every local government in B.C. to plant a tree in recognition and celebration of the work of local government professionals. Details about this campaign are being sent to all Chief Administrative Officers in the province this fall.
For the latest LGMA100 announcements, follow our LGMA100 Facebook page (www.facebook.com/LGMABC) or subscribe to our weekly newsletter. If you have a memory, photo or story to share, contact Ryan Hunt, LGMA Communications & Membership Engagement Coordinator (rhunt@lgma.ca). Thank you for helping us celebrate a century of local government excellence. C O N S U L T I N G
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T R A I N I N G
Join in the 100,000 Hours Volunteer Challenge Help your new Council or Board get on the same page with customized workshops:
Local government professionals are the backbone of communities around the province. When not working for the betterment of their communities, many local government professionals spend their free time volunteering to support community causes. This year we encourage LGMA members to track their volunteer hours using a new LGMA volunteer tracking portal. Our goal is for our members to log 100,000 hours before the end of 2019. Visit www.lgma.ca for details. These are just a few of the projects the LGMA is working on to celebrate the impact of its members over the past 100 years.
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• Master Your Media & Social Media Message • Set Your Communications Priorities Learn more at www.janenns.com Email: jan@janenns.com
By Therese Mickelson, ABC
DEALING WITH DISASTERS:
The New Normal A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Fall 2018
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It’s hard to predict future impacts from natural disasters.
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he new normal seems to be a trend towards increased frequency of escalating impacts causing significant damage to natural areas and major disruption in B.C. communities. These impacts pose challenges to municipal, regional and provincial governments, but it’s important to note that the onus is on municipalities and regional governments to lead the response and recovery efforts in their communities. “With two unprecedented, back-to-back seasons of flooding and wildfires, we’re challenged at all levels to deal with freshet floods that overlap with wildfires and then return while still in recovery mode,” says Stan Bates, Executive Director, Operations with Emergency Management BC (EMBC). He is responsible for the coordination of the operational response to provincial-level emergency management services within the British Columbia emergency management structure. “It’s becoming a year-round activity, with different hazards at different times, and we need to remain prepared year-round.” Recognizing that local governments lead response and recovery, EMBC provides support in a number of ways. “It’s important to remember that EMBC is not a response organization; we’re a coordinator,” says Bates. “We bring people together. We alert them to an emerging situation, and we bring together those who have a stake in it or can assist in any way.” When emergency coordination is needed regionally, EMBC will activate its Provincial Regional Emergency Operations Centres (PREOCS), and if two or more PREOCS are activated, the Provincial Emergency Coordination Centre (PECC) will activate to help with cross-ministry support that may be needed. The provincial government provides financial support for approved expenses, such as rental of pumps and installation of temporary flood control measures, and EMBC is working to provide additional staffing to local governments whenever possible. “To help with capacity over the last couple of years, we’ve canvased personnel from other regions to help through the local government to local government support approach where we provide the funding for travel and other incremental costs,” says Bates. “These personnel can share experiences and best practices, and those involved locally benefit from mentorship and support for the response itself.”
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“It’s becoming a year-round activity, with different hazards at different times, and we need to remain prepared year-round.”
In addition to coordinating staff resources from other local governments, EMBC has been working with the federal government and other provinces to source personnel with Incident Command System (ICS) training to deploy out in communities. EMBC also works with the Justice Institute of BC and others to contract experienced personnel and assign them to different communities. “We’re constantly looking for new sources of personnel who are trained in ICS. This year we were able to draw from the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue, and we also hired recently retired folks to share their expertise and form flood assessment units who could do site visits,” says Bates. “They provided technical advice to make sure flood protection measures were the right asset in the right spot.” EMBC’s efforts to facilitate additional staffing support and technical expertise has been working well to help address capacity gaps, but the sustained duration of events makes it difficult to meet demand. One area that is being affected is volunteers. “We’ve seen volunteers walk away after one season because it’s too much – they can’t do back-to-back seasons – so luckily we are getting help from other local governments,” says Bates. “I think we will see volunteers come back in the future, but they need a break and that’s understandable.” As a liaison, EMBC also helps connect local governments to other provincial ministries that may be involved in the emergency, such as the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, BC Wildfire Service and the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as non-government agencies to see what other supports may be available to local governments based on their needs.
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Dealing with Disasters: The New Normal Continued from page 9
These support services are also available to communities as they move into recovery. “Recovery starts during a response. It is community led, and only the communities impacted can build a recovery plan that meets their needs,” says Bates. “But we can provide additional staffing support through a community recovery manager, depending on scope and scale, as well as technical support and cross-ministry expertise to support recovery.”
PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS Local governments are expected to develop plans and prepare for local emergencies. The responsibilities for local governments and elected officials are outlined in the provincial Emergency Program Act, 1996 and the Local Authority Emergency Management Regulation, 1995. In addition to the resources available from EMBC to help with planning and preparedness (See Tips & Tactics, page 21), the Auditor General for Local Government (AGLG) is completing audits on emergency management to help local governments improve their plans and learn best practices from other communities.
“Our mandate is to provide objective and relevant information to assist local governments in their operations, and we structure our reports so that others can benefit,” says Gordon Ruth, Auditor General for Local Government. “I believe that the real value local governments can receive from our services is to read the audit reports and see the good practices and our recommendations that may be applied in their community.”
Gordon Ruth
When completing audits, Ruth notes that they strive to ensure the recommendations are appropriate for the size and capacity of the organization, and they work with local governments using a collaborative approach. For emergency management audits, the AGLG team will look at how well the local government is aligned with legislative requirements and whether they have a plan to respond in a timely way to manage an emergency. The audit also looks at whether the local government has a business continuity plan and support for recovery. Continued on page 11
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There are some consistent patterns in the audit results to date, including lack of regular updates and testing of plans, and a focus on prevention, mitigation, preparation and response, but not much focus on the recovery plan and business continuity considerations.
“In some communities in B.C. that may not be the case, as the Policy Group may want to include some checks and balances, such as caps on expenditures and retain control over what actions will be authorized or delegated to the EOC.�
“We’re seeing examples that some local governments have rarely reviewed their emergency plans, and rarely test or practice the plan, so the plans are not up to date, and staff are not familiar with them,� says Ruth. “We also see gaps, such as identifying risks for core services, but no plan for getting those services up and running after an emergency. The bottom line is that you need to be able to safeguard and restore the health of your community.�
It’s equally important to ensure elected officials understand what they should not be doing. They are not directing the EOC or its operations. They are not approving messages and should only release information that has been approved through the EOC. Continued on page 12
In addition to the audit reports completed so far, the Office of the AGLG is also developing tools to help local governments. The Emergency Management in Local Governments Perspective Series provides tips and guidance for the full spectrum of emergency management: mitigation and prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. They also advise local governments to follow some key steps towards preparing for, responding to and recovering from emergencies. This includes ensuring emergency plans are up to date and practiced and looking more broadly at recovery and business continuity. Along with this, it’s important to make sure that all legislated requirements are met and to collaborate with others, ideally building relationships with other agencies long before there’s an issue.
Practical advice, creative options, value for local government Planning, Development & Environmental Law
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“I’m hopeful that some of the difficult situations we’ve faced in this province will result in benefits that stem from shared learning, including the need to plan, prepare and cover the recovery and business continuity piece,� says Ruth. “The underlying message is if you’re not already fully engaged in this, you need to start now.� It’s just as critical to ensure that elected officials have a thorough understanding of their roles and responsibilities in an emergency. In an emergency activation, as the representatives of the local authority, elected officials are considered the Policy Group, and their responsibilities include the power to declare a state of emergency and invoke certain powers available under the Emergency Program Act. With the exception of declaring a local state of emergency, other responsibilities may be delegated to the Emergency Manager and/ or Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), and other staff. However, without full delegation of authority, the Policy Group may decide to set expenditure limits and be responsible for other policy decisions, such as shutting down local facilities, authorizing the use of local resources and deciding on a spokesperson in an emergency. “In an emergency, many local governments will have all administrative powers delegated to the CAO or Emergency Manager, and once the local authority declares the emergency, the EOC Director can determine how and when to exercise the powers under the declaration, liaising with the CAO and Emergency Manager,� says Robert Lapham, Chief Administrative Officer for the Capital Regional District and Local Co-Chair for the Regional Emergency Management Partnership.
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Dealing with Disasters: The New Normal Continued from page 11
They should also be taking situational reports from the EOC, not going to the site response areas to do their own assessment. “It’s very important that the EOC operates independently and that elected officials understand the consequences of the liability risks and the responsibility they could hold if they start getting involved in operational decisions,” says Lapham.
“The preferred state is that more delegations are made to allow the EOC and staff to respond to the emergency, provided you commit to keeping the Policy Group regularly informed,” says Lapham. “It helps to clarify the Policy Group role as being focused on financial and public information considerations, as well as spokesperson responsibilities, along with a rationale for the delegation of authority.”
Robert Lapham
The CAO is usually the primary liaison with the Policy Group, and it’s important to keep them informed by providing regular situational reports. Ideally, before an emergency occurs, the Council or Board has already determined what authority it will delegate in an emergency, what expenditure limits will be established, and any other policy decisions that can be delegated. All of these decisions can be captured in an emergency management bylaw. It’s also useful to have elected officials pre-determine who will act as a spokesperson.
Lapham also suggests that staff organize a tabletop exercise with elected officials to focus on their role and what decisions they will need to make as the Policy Group in an emergency. This provides more situational awareness, as well as highlighting the risks and pitfalls of different decisions. It also provides a platform to have frank discussions about what the Policy Group will be willing to delegate as well as where they want to retain control. Another tip is to share information about what others are experiencing, such as audit reports from the AGLG, as well as best practices and lessons learned from other jurisdictions. “Best practices are pretty compelling for elected officials, especially if they are from areas that have recently gone through an emergency,” adds Lapham. Continued on page 13
KAMLOOPS OFFICE
VANCOUVER OFFICE
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“I don’t think we need to have a disaster to gain experience. You can do so through regular training and exercises to maintain your skills.”
LOOKING AHEAD As communities across the province continue to prepare for the onslaught of natural disasters, EMBC is implementing new measures and funding to support continuous improvement. “We are always looking to adjust and challenging each other to find a better way to do business,” says Bates. “You’ve got to be flexible and adaptable, and while there is no substitute for experience, I don’t think we need to have a disaster to gain experience. You can do so through regular training and exercises to maintain your skills.” One area targeted for improvement is the overall provincial Emergency Social Services (ESS). The ESS modernization project is looking at how to decrease the time required to process finances at a local and provincial level and to register and receive services, including implementing an electronic registration system and moving away from paper vouchers as part of financial support to evacuees. The goal is to be more flexible for evacuees, such as providing options for those who require services but may not need face-to-face support, and empowering evacuees to make decisions to support their own recovery. EMBC will also be looking at how to manage pets and increasing local government’s authority for determining policies for who stays behind, how to evacuate the rest of the community if needed, and how to manage the re-entry process. The provincial government also has two strategies focused on improving emergency management and supporting local governments across the province. The 2015 strategy – A Strategy to Advance Support for Local Authority Emergency Management Programs – was developed following a year-long consultation with local authorities, and a number of tools and programs are completed and ready for review. This includes an emergency plan toolkit and template, a risk and hazard analysis tool, community re-entry guidelines and an infrastructure assessment tool. The tools will be refined as EMBC receives feedback from local authorities. The report, Addressing the New Normal: 21st Century Disaster Management in British Columbia, was released early this year. An executive lead has been brought on to implement the 108 recommendations in the strategy.
“We’re taking the time to do things properly, and there is a strong commitment to addressing the important issues raised in the report.” In addition to the strategies and ESS policy improvements, there will continue to be funding support available through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund. This $32 million fund is managed through the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) with some assistance from the province when technical expertise is required. The funding is divided into five streams: Flood Risk Assessment, Flood Mapping and Flood Mitigation Planning; Emergency Social Services; Emergency Operations Centres and Training; Structural Flood Mitigation; and Evacuation Route Planning. The application deadlines vary and are listed at www.ubcm.ca/cepf. Moving forward, it’s evident that emergency management will continue to be a collaborative process, with governments and non-government agencies working together to support communities. “We need to develop and maintain a strong rapport and a positive, trusted relationship with local governments,” says Bates. “You can’t look at issues just through your own narrow lens – we have to look at the wider impacts and be willing to collaborate with others, not go it on our own. I see a positive spirit of collaboration, and it pays dividends when you can work well together.” ❖
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“While some of the more complex recommendations will take a bit more time, we’ve already made significant progress on a good number of the recommendations already underway,” says Bates.
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Disaster Response: LESSONS LEARNED IN THE CARIBOO FIRES
Wildfires in the Wiliams Lake area this July.
By Therese Mickelson, ABC
Try to imagine 77 days of emergency activation, with 60 per cent of the population in your region under an evacuation alert or order, affecting 35,616 people and 48,099 km2 as wildfires blaze across your region. Then picture managing continuous changes in status, resulting in 149 order/alert changes, and having to deal with evacuating 48 per cent of your population. It is exhausting to read about the impacts of the fires in the Cariboo Regional District in the summer of 2017 and intimidating to realize that while still working through recovery, they faced wildfires again this past summer. For those who formed the teams working in an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), the lessons learned and success stories are a valuable resource to other municipal and regional governments. The staff who led their communities through the Cariboo Region fires and related evacuations faced multiple challenges, created solutions on the fly and gained insight into how to work effectively with other stakeholder agencies involved in emergency response. With the scope and impact of the 2017 wildfires, it’s not surprising that challenges cropped up – particularly in the early days. They had to deal with area-specific needs, such as livestock management, as well as barriers to effective communication and coordination with other agencies, and unstoppable demand for communication from their residents. By advocating for their residents, sharing their expertise based on local knowledge, and taking on a liaison role to pull agencies together, the EOC staff were able to create solutions and address challenges as they arose. “With a Board of 16 Directors who need to be briefed, dealing with our own local governments to coordinate efforts and daily meetings with external agencies like the Cariboo Fire Centre, other provincial government departments and the PREOC (Provincial Regional Emergency Operations Centre), you end up dealing with a multitude of agencies,” says Janis Bell, who was the Chief Administrative Officer for the Cariboo Regional District in 2017 and is now retired.
“There was so much coordination required, including managing competing needs, that I found this liaison function was the overall role I needed to fill.” Milo Macdonald, Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Williams Lake, also found this coordination and liaison role was critical, even when filling the EOC Director function.
Janis Bell
“The way we looked at it, this event was really good for enhancing cooperation between the City and the Regional District, and we determined that political boundaries were irrelevant in an emergency like this,” says Macdonald. “The Regional District CAO and I were on the phone probably 20 times a day to make sure we were in lockstep and that our communication and actions were aligned, giving one local government view.” Leadership and coordination were essential as the evacuations began to affect the entire region, and the inter-agency communication challenge was exacerbated by the sheer volume of calls and demands for updates, as well as the logistics for managing evacuations and communicating with residents. “We needed a coherent plan that would meet operational needs and get people out safely, and having some RCMP on scene who were involved in the Fort McMurray evacuation helped on the ground here,” says Macdonald. “We also really integrated the Region and City response, and one of the things we did really well was delivering the ESS (Emergency Social Services) function.” Continued on page 15
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While evacuating and providing residents with ESS support went relatively smoothly, one of the biggest challenges with evacuation was determining how to deal with the many ranches in the area and the corresponding need to attend to livestock. “We were faced with the challenge of getting people to safety, but also dealing with the risk that we could have another Milo Macdonald emergency on top of the fires if we had mass livestock carcasses and a corresponding loss of livelihood for our ranchers,” says Bell. “We reached out to the BC Cattlemen’s Association, and that turned out to be a really smart thing to do as their representative worked right in our EOC, knew who the legitimate ranchers were and could liaise with them in a way they understood.” The EOC worked out a permit-based approach to allow people who were screened at a checkpoint to enter the evacuated area, deal with the livestock and then leave the area.
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The Regional District developed a liability disclaimer that had to be signed as part of the permit process, making it clear that people would be entering an area that had an imminent threat. The EOC staff monitored where the fires were to determine when an area could be entered to attend to livestock. “Allowing ranchers back into evacuated areas was also problematic as the RCMP were tasked with enforcing the evacuation, while we were advocating for our local ranchers and developing a controlled permit process to let them back in,” says Bell. “We could understand the RCMP’s position as they are responsible for protecting evacuated areas, and at one point we were both drawing a line in the sand and butting heads, but after a lot of meetings – and taking a lot of deep breaths to calm down – we eventually worked it out.” The Regional District now has a protocol for how to manage livestock using a permit process, with streamlined procedures and a better means to assess the true needs of ranchers. Not only were there challenges with managing the evacuation of residents and businesses, there were challenges with bringing them home. Continued on page 16
Disaster Response: Lessons Learned in Cariboo Fires Continued from page 15
Both Macdonald and Bell shared that there were differing opinions on when residents could return. The City of Williams Lake and the Regional District were both advocates for earlier returns, while other agencies wanted to extend the evacuation period. As an example, BC Wildfire Service wanted time to remove their equipment, and the health authority felt the air quality was unsafe due to smoke in the area. “The municipality had to be an advocate for our residents and we had to work with agencies to help people get back into their homes,” says Macdonald. “When the health authority was denying the return due to air quality concerns, we pointed out that the air quality in the places our evacuees were being housed was just as bad.” For the Regional District, they felt the priority should be on getting people home, not when all of the equipment had been removed from the area. “Some people were out far too long in our opinion, and we felt we should have been able to move people back in sooner,” says Bell. “We’d like evacuation orders to be addressed in a better way, with coordination between us and BC Wildfire Service so we can look out for our residents, with a priority on getting people home sooner.”
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As the emergency progressed, the inter-agency cooperation within the EOC made it easier to keep everyone informed from an operational perspective. There were liaisons from all the primary responding agencies in the EOC, and there were daily calls with the First Nations in affected areas. First Nations leaders later started attending Cariboo Fire Centre daily updates as well. There was also extensive coordination with the local governments in the Cariboo region. “A lot of things worked out well, and some of them were more by accident than good planning,” says Bell. “After the evacuation, we realized that we still had lot of people in the community that were involved in the response and they needed food, accommodation and fuel. By chance, there were a number of businesses that hadn’t yet evacuated and several stayed open to support the fire response personnel. Things didn’t start out perfectly on day one, but pretty soon we were able to work things out and operations moved fast and furious.” Macdonald also agrees that things were done a bit on the fly at the start, but things were worked out despite challenges. “You have to make sure you’re not at cross-purposes with another agency, and one of the things to remember when you’re working with different agencies is that you have to take the position that everyone has honourable intentions to fulfil their mandate,” says Macdonald. “And our mandate included advocating for our people.” Macdonald noted that they also needed more staff on the ground to help, but because the disaster was so widespread, EMBC couldn’t send anyone else. “Fortunately, we had really good people who came to help us – it just wasn’t enough. We had long, long days and at the peak they were 20 hours long,” adds Macdonald. Continued on page 17 A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Fall 2018
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Another challenge was related to inter-agency communication from an operational perspective. It was important to make sure other agencies were kept informed, but very difficult to keep up with demand. “I was probably getting 30 requests for teleconferences a day, and it became obvious that there wasn’t enough time to satisfy everyone’s wish to be kept informed and still be able to do our jobs to manage the emergency. So I just started to decline them or direct them to participate in briefings we were doing for another agency by joining the call,” says Macdonald. “Eventually we shifted to providing email updates and joint briefings.” While operational communication improved, the challenge of communicating to residents and businesses was a challenge throughout the event and required extensive use of multiple communication tools and creative solutions to meet the community’s information demand. The communication challenges were exacerbated by the nature of the region’s population spread – many people living in rural areas with limited access to cell service, internet and even radio – along with the challenge of reaching evacuated residents once they were settled in other communities either through ESS temporary lodging or with family and friends.
Celebrating
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Working together within the Emergency Operations Centre was critical to keeping everyone informed as the emergency progressed.
“When you create a regular communications plan you target your audience and pick and choose which channels to use, but in an emergency you have to use all of them because your audiences are so diverse,” says Emily Epp, Manager of Communications for the Cariboo Regional District and Senior Information Officer for the EOC activation. Continued on page 18
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Disaster Response: Lessons Learned in Cariboo Fires Continued from page 17
“When you create a regular communications plan you target your audience and pick and choose which channels to use, but in an emergency you have to use all of them because your audiences are so diverse. You can’t just use social media.” Emily Epp
“You can’t just use social media. All of the tools are needed – as many as you can – which is challenging when you don’t have a lot of staff.” For the 2017 wildfires, the communication tactics included a dedicated emergency phone line that grew to a full call centre using their Ring Central phone tree system, email updates, website updates, and social media posts on Facebook and Twitter, including videos. They issued news releases and provided media interviews, including two media conferences and two media tours, which helped with getting information out on the radio. They also hosted 12 public meetings, including using Facebook live and posting videos of the meetings, and they used an emergency notification system called Everbridge so people in remote areas would get a landline phone call when there is an evacuation alert.
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By the end of the activation, they issued 122 news releases and there were 6,683 media stories about their fires. They registered 625 new email subscribers (a 106 per cent increase) and tracked about 23,400 Twitter posts about the fire each day. They responded to 16,089 phone calls, had 15,614 new followers on their Facebook page, and went from 2,000 to 12,000 people registered on their emergency notification system. All this was done by a small team with a rotation of support but an average of five people working at a time, with an additional seven people working in the call centre, primarily members of the public. Even with these numbers to support communication, it was difficult to keep up with demand. In addition to the challenges of reaching audiences with timely updates, it was also difficult coordinating messaging involving different agencies. Community members wanted one source for information, which was difficult for the Regional District as they are responsible for evacuations, not wildfire response. It was also necessary to address misinformation and rumours trending in social media, including conflicting information on social media that was being communicated by elected officials who were viewed as an official source. “I think it all came to a breaking point near the end of July, a month into our three-month emergency,” says Epp. “There was growing frustration on our end and we were hearing from the public that there was not enough wildfire information, but as a local government, we don’t speak to the wildfire updates, we leave that to the experts.” As it became clear that something needed to be done to address concerns from the community and improve overall communication of the event, the Regional District’s Information Officer Team implemented a number of measures to bridge the gap between community expectations and the responsibilities each agency holds for communicating their individual messages. One of the most beneficial steps was using videos posted on their Facebook page and inviting other agencies to join them in the videos to share updates. “We facilitated information sharing on the fires by interviewing wildfire experts and sending the videos out through our channels,” says Epp. Continued on page 19
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“We had amazing statistics on our views, but anecdotal information was even better as people shared how the video information helped alleviate their anxiety and that people watched the videos every evening. They told us how great it was to have one source of reliable information. I still get stopped regularly with people thanking me and saying how much they appreciated the video updates.” Over the course of the emergency, more than a million minutes of video was watched, which would take one person one year and 350 days to watch. The videos also had captioning, so people didn’t have to listen to them. As a further step this past summer, they are now adding a text summary to the video post on Facebook for those who don’t have good internet connections so that they can still get the key information. To help address the misinformation coming from elected officials and help support inter-agency updates, the Information Officer Team also started hosting daily briefings for elected officials and provided them all with the video link to share. “All we did was facilitate a conference call, but the update itself was from BC Wildfire Service,” says Epp. “Last year it was just with the Regional District’s elected officials, but this summer we also had MLAs, MPs and area First Nations on the call. These briefings helped a lot.” Around the same time, BC Wildfire Service started sending out daily text updates to media and elected officials, which also kept everyone up to date and helped with getting accurate information out. The Regional District worked with different agencies to send out coordinated news releases and other updates when feasible. This interagency communication coordination – known as a Joint Information Centre – included BC Wildfire Service, RCMP, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, Ministry of Agriculture and First Nations. “Mid-way through last summer we initiated weekly or even daily Joint Information calls where the communications staff could chat and raise issues on how to coordinate messages,” says Epp. “I think doing it sooner would have been beneficial.” The other primary challenge for communications was simply keeping up with the volume with limited staff resources. “We were overwhelmed in terms of keeping up with social media and monitoring, and we weren’t able to respond to Facebook messaging,” says Epp. “We had posts to let people know we would not be able to get back to them individually, and we had to shut down the messaging option.” Even with all of these creative solutions and coordinated communication using multiple tactics, the feedback from residents is that they want more communication. “We went out to our communities after the wildfires and the most discussed topic was the wildfire itself, but the second top priority was communication,” says Epp.
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To improve overall communications, the Cariboo Regional District coordinated and shared video updates from the BC Wildfire Service and other wildfire experts.
“I think communication has become more critical because of the changes in how we communicate, such as social media, websites and the demand for information – the public expects transparent and timely updates in a crisis. And it’s even easier for misinformation and rumours to spread online, so its even more critical to provide reliable, timely sources of information. Information is so accessible, if we’re not providing it, someone else is and it won’t necessarily be accurate.” Continued on page 20
Disaster Response: Lessons Learned in Cariboo Fires Continued from page 17
“It was a true team-building experience. There was no union or management, everyone pulled together and supported each other.” From an operational perspective, a number of lessons learned have flagged gaps that can be addressed, as well as advice for other local governments. One identified gap is the need for a defined process around which businesses can stay behind to support the response agencies, and how it can be done in a way that is fair and consistent. “There were businesses who would have wanted to stay open, but evacuated instead, and those that did stay open had a pretty profitable summer season,” says Bell. “I had calls from businesses who evacuated and wanted to come back, but I couldn’t let them. We need some form of competitive process, maybe once every couple years, to determine who can stay behind.” Both Bell and Macdonald note that another gap is that communities across the province are vulnerable to the exact same thing happening again, and need to do more comprehensive risk assessments, prevention and preparedness. “I think a lot of local governments need to look at their fuel management in the wildfire and urban interface areas, and that’s something that needs fairly quick action,” says Macdonald. Bell advises local governments to identify the vulnerabilities in their area, and how it impacts their emergency response. “You have to know where the hazards are,” says Bell. “Through our cooperation with the City, we found out that every log yard on the outskirts of town was full of logs and finished lumber, as was the rail yard. We had to get some of that fuel out of the city. They had truckloads of finished lumber leaving the city, but it didn’t even touch the tip of the iceberg. So instead, we had to redeploy the sprinkler units originally intended to protect our EOC building and send them to the lumber yards.” The advice to local governments focuses on being prepared and leveraging the resources like Geographic Information System (GIS) services and local volunteers and to have a qualified, staffed communication team. It also helps to reach out to other local government managers who have been through similar events to get their advice and to exchange ideas. It’s important to build strong relationships with agencies who will be involved before the emergency strikes, and it’s also critical to ensure that elected officials understand their role and responsibilities in advance of an incident. “Politicians have a role in policy-making, but not operational response,” says Macdonald. “There are people whose professional job is to manage these things, and it’s important to give thought to what responsibilities elected officials will have and what should be done by staff to make sure this is made clear.”
Communications tactics included a post-wildfire public consultation meeting.
It’s also important to have a recovery plan, and the response and recovery need to take into account the impact on staff and the community. “For the staff in the EOC, it’s a scary time but also a team-building time,” says Bell. “But when it’s over, I think you need to be there to support staff in the fact that we can’t meet everyone’s expectations, and you don’t expect them to.” “In Williams Lake, we didn’t lose any structures, so our recovery was more on the mental health side,” says Macdonald. “The province has been receptive to some of the ideas we’ve raised, such as increasing victim services to support people who are experiencing the psychological impacts of the fires, such as anxiety.” Overall, it’s clear that the wildfires in 2017 were managed effectively and resulted in many positive stories about the people involved and the work done to protect communities. “We came through it stronger than expected. It was good for our relationships with all the other agencies, and helped with developing good protocols for working together to manage subsequent events,” says Macdonald. For Bell, it was a testament to the people who pulled together to help respond to the fires and support the people affected. “It was a true team-building experience. There was no union or management, everyone pulled together and supported each other,” says Bell. “Every time we put out a cry, help was sent. What a family local government is when it comes to helping each other out.” ❖
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tips & tactics Local Government Emergency Management Resources Improving Local Government Emergency Management • AGLG Perspectives Series, outlining considerations for local government, Council and Board members: www.aglg.ca/app/ uploads/sites/26/2018/04/Perspectives-Series-Booklet-ImprovingLocal-Government-Emergency-Management.pdf
Statutory Requirements and Governance • Emergency Program Act, 1996: www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/ complete/statreg/96111_01 • Local Authority Emergency Management Regulation, 1995: www. bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/477_94
Emergency Planning & Training • Emergency Management in BC: Reference Manual (2011): www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/public-safety-and-emergency-services/ emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/embc/training/reference_ manual.pdf • British Columbia Emergency Management System (2016) including BCEMS guide and EOC operational guidelines: www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparednessresponse-recovery/emergency-management-bc/bcems • JIBC courses (in-class and online) – EMBC-sponsored and offered across B.C. in emergency management, Emergency Social Services, Search & Rescue: www.jibc.ca/programs-courses • EMBC Emergency Management Webinar Series – best practices, strategies and technologies: www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/ content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/emergencymanagement-bc/emergency-management-training-and-exercises/ em-training-program/emergency-management-webinars • EMBC workshops (spring and fall) – help organize the various agencies and provide tips on how local governments can prepare for seasonal events.
Funding Opportunities • Flood mitigation: www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergencypreparedness-response-recovery/emergency-management-bc/bcdisaster-mitigation/flood-mitigation-funding-programs • Community Emergency Preparedness Fund application program guides, deadlines and process: www.ubcm.ca/cepf
Public Education • PreparedBC – one-stop shop for disaster readiness information: www2.gov.bc.ca/preparedbc • Master of Disaster – resources to help children and students learn about hazards and how to be prepared: www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparednessresponse-recovery/preparedbc/master-of-disaster • Partners in Preparedness – working with BC retailers to help people prepare for an emergency: www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/ safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/preparedbc/ partners-in-preparedness • High Ground Hike – tsunami preparedness event to engage residents and visitors in local tsunami risks and proper response: www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergencypreparedness-response-recovery/preparedbc/know-the-risks/tsunamis/ high-ground-hike
Emergency Information Platforms: • Twitter: @PreparedBC and @emergencyinfobc • Emergency Info BC – information on active provincial emergencies: www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca Many thanks to Kathryn Forge and Stan Bates at Emergency Management BC, and Gordon Ruth, Auditor General for Local Government for these Tips & Tactics.
Effective Crisis Communication • Develop and maintain contact list for stakeholder agency Information Officers and emergency contacts for local media. • Develop list of trained people who can be called in to support communication in an emergency – whether internal staff, other local government staff or consultants. • Have templates prepared in advance, such as evacuation orders and alerts, news releases, frequently asked questions, brochures, etc. – ideally with “fill in the blanks” option where feasible. • Implement education campaigns before an emergency to inform audiences about where to go for information in an emergency. • Start thinking ahead about recovery communication as soon as the emergency begins and implement immediately following
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the response period – there is only a short space of time when people will listen to messages about preparedness and recovery. • Develop and update a crisis communications plan that’s practical, with basic information such as action checklists, template locations, login details for websites and social media, process flow charts, and how to post information online. • Encourage training, such as the Justice Institute of BC courses, and practice with key players involved in communication. • Volunteer with other local governments experiencing an emergency. Many thanks to Emily Epp, Communications Manager and Information Officer for the Cariboo Regional District for these tips.
LGMA UPDATES SPECIAL RECOGNITION Board of Examiners The following local government employees have been recognized for their education and work experience while working in the local government field in B.C. and are being awarded a Certificate or Certificates by the Board of Examiners: Certificate in Local Government Service Delivery: • Jeffrey Long, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer and Manager of Planning and Development Services, Regional District of Mount Waddington • Nikki Watson, Development Services Clerk, City of Castlegar • Laurie-Ann Kosec, Strategic Parks Planner, City of Prince George • Christopher Prosser, Chief Administrative Officer, District of Invermere • Wayne Robinson, Deputy Corporate Officer, Village of Ashcroft • Caylee Simmons, Administrative Assistant / Executive Secretary, City of Salmon Arm
Certificate in Local Government Statutory Administration: • Karen Cote, Director of Finance, District of Invermere • Michelle Martineau, Director of Corporate Services, District of Sparwood • Scott Sommerville, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Kimberley • Karen Needham, Deputy City Clerk, City of Kelowna • Christopher Prosser, Chief Administrative Officer, District of Invermere
Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) These two individuals achieved CMC status: • Selina Williams, CMC, Town of Gibsons • Edith Watson, CMC, Strathcona Regional District
Certificate in Local Government Administration: • Scott Beeching, Director of Planning and Development Services, District of Elkford • Michelle Martineau, Director of Corporate Services, District of Sparwood • Scott Sommerville, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Kimberley • Christopher Prosser, Chief Administrative Officer, District of Invermere • Kevin Wilson, Business Development Manager, Nupqu Development Corporation
LGMA: More for Our Members Are you taking advantage of all your LGMA membership has to offer? Learn more at www.lgma.ca or 250-383-7032
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MEMBERS PAGE
Emilie Adin, Director, Development Services, City of New Westminster (Formerly Director of Community Services, City of North Vancouver)
Janine Dougall, General Manager of Environmental Services, Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (Formerly Public Works Manager, Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen)
Stacie Barclay, Manager, Privacy and Records, City of St. Albert, Alberta (Formerly Manager of Legislative Services, City of Langford)
Corine Gain, Director of Development Services, District of Summerland (Formerly Director of Planning and Development Services, District of Peachland)
Jeannie Beauchamp, Director of Finance, Regional District of Nanaimo (Formerly Director of Finance, District of Lantzville)
Keir Gervais, Manager, Public Safety, Cowichan Valley Regional District (Formerly Chief Administrative Officer, Village of Cache Creek)
MEMBER MOVEMENT
Kevin Bertles, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Armstrong (Formerly Chief Financial Officer, City of Armstrong) Ernst Bezema, Public Works Manager, District of Clearwater Brian Champlin, Manager of Building Inspection Services, Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (Formerly Building Official, City of Nelson) James Chandler, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer and General Manager of Operations, Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (Formerly Manager of Engineering, City of Port Moody) Adam Davey, Manager, Emergency Programs, Fire Services, City of Prince George (Formerly Chief Administrative Officer, District of Vanderhoof) Kristen Dixon, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Port Coquitlam (Formerly Director of Engineering and Public Works, City of Port Coquitlam)
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Carolyn Gillis, Financial Services Manager, Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (Formerly Manager, Assurance Services, MNP, Kelowna) Jennifer Graham, Corporate Officer, City of Armstrong (Formerly Corporate Officer, Columbia Shuswap Regional District) Jeff Hardy, Building Maintenance Electrician, Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (Formerly, Industrial QC Electrician, Ledcor) Kevin Santori, Building Inspector Level 1, Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (Formerly Journeyman Carpenter, West Kootenay Building Industry) Jennifer Sham, Assistant Deputy Corporate Administrator, Columbia Shuswap Regional District (Formerly Planner, Columbia Shuswap Regional District)
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Forrest Smith, Director Engineering and Public Works, City of Port Coquitlam (Formerly Director of Engineering and Operations, City of Pitt Meadows) Rhonda West, Deputy Corporate Officer, District of Clearwater (Formerly Manager, Legislative Services, Beaumont, Alberta) Terri Williamson, Human Resources Manager, City of Terrace (Formerly Development Services Clerk, City of Terrace)
RETIREMENTS Wendy Idema, Director of Finance, District of Lantzville John Leeburn, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Port Coquitlam
2018 LGMA PROGRAMS & EVENTS November 21-23 Corporate Officers Forum Delta Grand Okanagan Resort, Kelowna December 7 Webinar: Strategic Planning www.lgma.ca
2019 LGMA PROGRAMS & EVENTS February 5-7 CAO Forum Coast Capri Hotel, Kelowna
2019 RELATED PARTNER PROGRAMS & EVENTS January 15-17 LGLA Elected Officials Seminar LMGLA Region Richmond January 16-18 LGLA Electoral Area Representatives Richmond January 23-25 LGLA SILGA Region - Elected Officials Seminar Kelowna January 30 - February 1 NCLGA Region - Elected Officials Seminar Prince George February 12-14 AVICC Region #1 - Elected Officials Seminar Parksville February 13-15 AVICC Region #2 - Elected Officials Seminar Parksville February 26-28 AKBLG Region #1 - Elected Officials Seminar Kimberley February 27- March 1 AKBLG Region #2 - Elected Officials Seminar Kimberley
MEMBERS PAGE OUR TOWN: CITY OF CRANBROOK Cranbrook prides itself on being an active, youthful community that is deeply connected to its extraordinary landscape and the adventure it provides.
With a population of more than 20,000, Cranbrook is the largest urban centre in southeastern B.C., which means we’re kind of a big deal. But you won’t hear it from us. In fact, over the years, we may have underestimated our success in creating one of the safest, happiest and healthiest communities in Canada. We are home to the College of the Rockies, the Canadian Rockies International Airport and the East Kootenay Regional Hospital, making us a hub that serves citizens well beyond our City borders. Even better – we live where people come for holidays! Cranbrook redefines the essence of work, life, learning, and play. We are an active, youthful community that is deeply connected to our extraordinary landscape and the adventure it provides. Our economy is stable and home to a wide range of business in retail, health care education and trades. Our focus is on local economic growth, creating innovative solutions around our infrastructure and improving City operations to enhance the quality life for our citizens. We have strategic investments in the queue that will set up Cranbrook for long-term success by accommodating growth in the local economy along with better solutions to aging infrastructure. To help create a culture of excellence, we are also moving toward technology and innovation-based operations and investing in staff to deliver excellent service and provide ways to better connect City operations to citizens and business. Cranbrook continues to embrace the new corporate mindset and values, increasing our knowledge capacity and successfully implementing changes in a variety of service areas. As a City, we are empathetic and openminded when it comes to our customers’ needs. Critical thinking and hard work have become our new work ethic and improving customer satisfaction is our top corporate goal. The key to success was the creation and implementation of the Administration Charter in 2017, which represents the commitment of the organization and its employees to deliver great value to our citizens, visitors and the business community.
You can view a copy of the Administration Charter at http://cranbrook.ca/ our-city/city-departments/corporate-services/administration-charter. These changes allowed the City to make progressive decisions through transparent processes and due diligence and led to delivering greater value and innovation to our citizens. New approaches were initiated to tackle the red tape, improve staff performance and align City Hall with citizens’ needs. Building upon this solid foundation, Cranbrook has entered into an exciting period of economic development. Elected leaders and members of the business community welcome this positive change and are eager to foster growth. Hitting important metrics of location, lifestyle, labour and connectivity, Cranbrook offers an enviable economic advantage to those looking for new and sustainable investment opportunities. – Tina Babuin, Administrative Manager, CAO Office and Chris Zettel, Corporate Communications Officer
A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Fall 2018
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