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close menu Office of the Premier

Crofton mill gets workers back on the job with provincial, federal funding

January 20, 2023 9:05 AM
Photo of mill workers 
Text reads: Support workers in Crofton
More than 100 jobs will resume at Paper Excellence’s Crofton Mill facility, resulting from a partnership and funding from the provincial and federal governments, as the mill retools to manufacture new pulp products that reduce the need for single-use plastics.
  Read More

Province, Blueberry River First Nations reach agreement

January 18, 2023 2:39 PM
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close menu Agriculture and Food

New regenerative agriculture project underway in Fraser River estuary

December 4, 2022 9:00 AM
The B.C. government is partnering with the Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust on a new project that will support local food producers to improve soil health and mitigate the effects of climate change in the Fraser River estuary.
  Read More

B.C. government boosts funding for Okanagan apple growers

November 17, 2022 1:30 PM
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close menu Attorney General

New premier delivers action to expand housing supply within first days

November 21, 2022 10:43 AM
New premier delivers action to expand housing supply within first days
To help deliver more good homes for people, the Province is introducing new laws to build the homes people need, make it possible for homes that are vacant to be rented and remove discriminatory age and rental restrictions in stratas that hurt young families.
  Read More

Increased funding for Human Rights Tribunal will make justice more accessible

January 4, 2023 10:00 AM
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close menu Children and Family Development

Operators announced for pilot family connections centres

January 5, 2023 9:30 AM
Families of children and youth with support needs can soon access supports and services through newly established pilot family connections centres in four B.C. communities.
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First rent supplements begin for youth from care in B.C.

December 21, 2022 8:30 AM
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close menu Citizens' Services

Access to high-speed internet available in Ruth Lake, Deka Lake in time for holidays

December 22, 2022 10:00 AM
More than 700 households in the Deka Lake and Ruth Lake communities can now access quality, reliable high-speed internet with the completion of a fibre-to-the-home network.
  Read More

Streamlined registry services make B.C. businesses easier to operate

November 24, 2022 1:30 PM
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close menu Education and Child Care

B.C. launches anti-racism action plan for K-12 students

January 23, 2023 11:15 AM
Anti-racism action plan for more inclusive schools in B.C.
Empowering students and educators to identify and take action against racism and discrimination in British Columbia schools is the aim of a new provincial K-12 Anti-Racism Action Plan launched on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023.
  Read More

Students learning in new classrooms at Dover Bay Secondary

January 18, 2023 10:00 AM
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close menu Emergency Management and Climate Readiness

Review highlights B.C.’s strong pandemic response, opportunities for enhancement

December 2, 2022 1:15 PM
The Province has released results of the independent review and public consultation of government’s operational response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  
  Read More

British Columbians urged to prepare for cold weather, winter conditions

December 16, 2022 12:00 PM
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close menu Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation

Province, Blueberry River First Nations reach agreement

January 18, 2023 2:39 PM
Watch the Province and Blueberry River First Nations reach an agreement
The B.C. government and Blueberry River First Nations have reached a historic agreement that will guide them forward in a partnership approach to land, water and resource stewardship that ensures Blueberry River members can meaningfully exercise their Treaty 8 rights, and provide stability and predictability for industry in the region.
  Read More

Remote First Nations communities advance clean-energy projects

January 16, 2023 11:30 AM
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close menu Environment and Climate Change Strategy

Province, Blueberry River First Nations reach agreement

January 18, 2023 2:39 PM
Watch the Province and Blueberry River First Nations reach an agreement
The B.C. government and Blueberry River First Nations have reached a historic agreement that will guide them forward in a partnership approach to land, water and resource stewardship that ensures Blueberry River members can meaningfully exercise their Treaty 8 rights, and provide stability and predictability for industry in the region.
  Read More

Province adds more items to B.C.’s recycling system

January 6, 2023 8:30 AM
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close menu Finance

New protections in place for homebuyers in B.C.

January 3, 2023 9:30 AM
New protections in place for homebuyers in B.C.
Homebuyers in B.C. now have better protection in the real estate market as the homebuyer protection period takes effect on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.
  Read More

Help with costs arrives for British Columbians

January 5, 2023 9:00 AM
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close menu Forests

Crofton mill gets workers back on the job with provincial, federal funding

January 20, 2023 9:05 AM
Photo of mill workers 
Text reads: Support workers in Crofton
More than 100 jobs will resume at Paper Excellence’s Crofton Mill facility, resulting from a partnership and funding from the provincial and federal governments, as the mill retools to manufacture new pulp products that reduce the need for single-use plastics.
  Read More

Province, Blueberry River First Nations reach agreement

January 18, 2023 2:39 PM
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close menu Health

Nurses receive support to join B.C.’s health system more quickly

January 9, 2023 12:46 PM
Photo of a nurse and her patient. Text reads: Helping more nurses practice in BC, faster
The Province is making it easier for internationally educated nurses to work in B.C.’s health-care system with new financial supports and a faster, more efficient assessment pathway.
  Read More

Province provides update on respiratory illness season

January 13, 2023 12:55 PM
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close menu Housing

New permitting strategy will help build homes faster

January 16, 2023 9:48 AM
New permitting strategy will help build homes faster
The Province is taking another step to tackle the housing crisis by creating a one-stop-shop approach to provincial permitting to help speed up approvals and construction to build more homes.
  Read More

New fund will protect thousands of renters in B.C.

January 12, 2023 10:45 AM
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close menu Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation

Province, Blueberry River First Nations reach agreement

January 18, 2023 2:39 PM
Watch the Province and Blueberry River First Nations reach an agreement
The B.C. government and Blueberry River First Nations have reached a historic agreement that will guide them forward in a partnership approach to land, water and resource stewardship that ensures Blueberry River members can meaningfully exercise their Treaty 8 rights, and provide stability and predictability for industry in the region.
  Read More

Huu-ay-aht First Nations, Province partner to create Oomiiqsu Mother Centre

November 8, 2022 2:15 PM
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close menu Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat

Nominate an exceptional citizen for B.C.’s highest honour

January 6, 2023 9:30 AM
Nominate an exceptional citizen for B.C.’s highest honour
Nominations are being accepted for the Order of British Columbia, the Province’s highest honour.
  Read More

Fifteen British Columbians honoured for dedication to service

December 5, 2022 10:30 AM
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close menu Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation

Crofton mill gets workers back on the job with provincial, federal funding

January 20, 2023 9:05 AM
Photo of mill workers 
Text reads: Support workers in Crofton
More than 100 jobs will resume at Paper Excellence’s Crofton Mill facility, resulting from a partnership and funding from the provincial and federal governments, as the mill retools to manufacture new pulp products that reduce the need for single-use plastics.
  Read More

New jobs fund will support employment, resilient economies

January 17, 2023 2:05 PM
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close menu Labour

Reminder to have your say about app-based ride-hailing, food-delivery work

January 3, 2023 9:00 AM
Time is running out to share your thoughts about app-based ride-hailing and food-delivery work in B.C.
  Read More

Farm workers who hand-harvest crops get rate increase Jan. 1

December 29, 2022 9:00 AM
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close menu Mental Health and Addictions

Richmond offers integrated mental-health, substance-use supports for young people

January 12, 2023 12:00 PM
Richmond offers integrated mental-health, substance-use supports for young people
Children and youth in Richmond facing mental-health and substance-use challenges are beginning to receive new services and supports from the Integrated Child and Youth (ICY) teams in their community.
  Read More

New complex-care housing services will open in Chilliwack

December 13, 2022 10:15 AM
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close menu Municipal Affairs

Province cancels student health fee for people fleeing war in Ukraine

December 19, 2022 5:15 PM
On Dec. 19, 2022, the government enacted the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel International Student Health Fee Remission Regulation.
  Read More

Grants for Lower Mainland non-profits improve arts, culture, sports access

December 8, 2022 9:24 AM
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close menu Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills

New SFU medical school moves forward to train family doctors of tomorrow

November 28, 2022 1:25 PM
New SFU medical school moves forward to train family doctors of tomorrow
A new medical school on the Simon Fraser University (SFU) Surrey campus is taking a significant step forward with the hiring of an interim dean and provincial funding to support its development.
  Read More

B.C. making changes to support good trades jobs, tackle labour shortages

December 1, 2022 10:45 AM
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close menu Public Safety and Solicitor General

ICBC files for no increase to basic insurance rates for two more years

December 12, 2022 10:19 AM
ICBC files for no increase to basic insurance rates for two more years
Government reforms to ICBC are paying off with affordable, steady rates and fiscal stability for people.
  Read More

Review highlights B.C.’s strong pandemic response, opportunities for enhancement

December 2, 2022 1:15 PM
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close menu Social Development and Poverty Reduction

More people can train to become cyber systems security specialists

December 19, 2022 8:30 AM
More people can train to become cyber systems security specialists
Up to 30 eligible participants will receive skills training to prepare them for jobs as cyber systems security specialists on the Lower Mainland through a new government-funded Community and Employer Partnerships (CEP) project.
  Read More

The Province helps people with sight loss find jobs

December 2, 2022 8:15 AM
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close menu Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport

Fifteen British Columbians honoured for dedication to service

December 5, 2022 10:30 AM
Fifteen British Columbians honoured for dedication to service
The Government of B.C. has selected 15 British Columbians to receive the Medal of Good Citizenship for their dedication and selfless service to their communities.
  Read More

Province supports inclusive, diverse arts sector with $2.7 million

December 15, 2022 1:30 PM
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close menu Transportation and Infrastructure

Highway 91/17 upgrades near completion

December 19, 2022 6:30 AM
Highway 91/17 upgrades near completion
With all lanes now open on the Highway 91 at Nordel Way interchange, the Highway 91/17 Upgrade Project is nearing completion, improving traffic flow and saving drivers time south of the Fraser River.
  Read More

Surrey Langley SkyTrain takes another step

January 3, 2023 3:00 PM
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close menu Water, Land and Resource Stewardship

Province, Blueberry River First Nations reach agreement

January 18, 2023 2:39 PM
Watch the Province and Blueberry River First Nations reach an agreement
The B.C. government and Blueberry River First Nations have reached a historic agreement that will guide them forward in a partnership approach to land, water and resource stewardship that ensures Blueberry River members can meaningfully exercise their Treaty 8 rights, and provide stability and predictability for industry in the region.
  Read More

New permitting strategy will help build homes faster

January 16, 2023 9:48 AM
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Attorney General

FACTSHEET: Emergency Management BC

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Honourable Niki Sharma

Honourable Niki Sharma

Honourable Niki Sharma

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Contact

Email: AG.Minister@gov.bc.ca

close menu Attorney General

New premier delivers action to expand housing supply within first days

November 21, 2022 10:43 AM
New premier delivers action to expand housing supply within first days
To help deliver more good homes for people, the Province is introducing new laws to build the homes people need, make it possible for homes that are vacant to be rented and remove discriminatory age and rental restrictions in stratas that hurt young families.
  Read More

Increased funding for Human Rights Tribunal will make justice more accessible

January 4, 2023 10:00 AM
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Attorney General

British Columbia News

FACTSHEET: Emergency Management BC

https://news.gov.bc.ca/04255

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Factsheet

Wednesday, April 10, 2013 9:46 AM

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Factsheet

Wednesday, April 10, 2013 9:46 AM

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Emergency Management BC (EMBC) protects and improves public safety in B.C. by working with local authorities to provide advisories of active emergencies, support disaster readiness, response  and recovery, provide fire safety and fire prevention information through the Office of the Fire Commissioner, and death investigation and public safety information through the BC Coroners Service.

BC Coroners Service

  • The Coroners Service investigated 8,020 sudden, unexpected and unnatural deaths in 2012. 
  • Twenty public inquests were conducted by the Coroners Service including the inquests into the deaths of three workers at a Lower Mainland mushroom farm, several police-involved deaths, the death of a search and rescue technician, and two deaths in correctional facilities.
  • Following the devastating landslide at Johnson's Landing in July 2012, the Coroners Service took the lead in recovering the remains of the missing.  Assisted by local search and rescue teams, Vancouver's Heavy Urban Search and Rescue unit and the province's Wildfire Management Branch, the Coroners Service led a successful recovery effort that located the remains of the deceased safely with no additional loss of life or injury to those assisting in this challenging task.
  • The Coroners Service Identification and Disaster Response Unit continued to expand its sophisticated missing persons/found human remains database, applying innovative geospatial, DNA, dental and other comparative analyses to support the identification of found human remains.  The positive identification of found remains is critical for legal, criminal and estate purposes.
  • The Report of the Death Review Panel into four fatal commercial seaplane accidents was released by the Chief Coroner. The four incidents, which resulted in 23 deaths, were reviewed by a panel of experts that included pilots, members of the commercial floatplane community and safety professionals.  The panel's 19 recommendations were forwarded to seven recipients, including Transport Canada and the Floatplane Operators Association.
  • The Coroners Service Research Unit issued a number of reports, including reports into deaths due to Intimate Partner Violence, Pedestrian Deaths and Ecstasy-Related Deaths.

Fire safety:

  • The Office of the Fire Commissioner and WorkSafe BC have initiated a new Fire Inspection and Prevention Initiative that helps ensure owners and employers are compliant with the BC Fire Code, their fire prevention and inspection responsibilities and are held accountable for the safety of their workers. 
  • This initiative will have WorkSafe inspectors already on-site as part of routine workplace inspections ask for fire code compliance documentation.

Disaster Financial Assistance:

  • The purpose of DFA is to provide assistance to individuals for their principal residence and to help farmers and small business owners when their livelihood is at risk.
  • Since 2007, government has paid over $14 million in Disaster Financial Assistance to help 1,800 individuals recover from uninsurable disaster events in B.C.  
  • B.C. has also paid over $19 million to help local governments recover from disasters.

Disaster response:

  • The Ministry of Justice (EMBC), the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Social Development and the Canadian Red Cross signed an agreement to formalize a collaborative emergency response framework and allow for quicker, more efficient deployment of emergency management equipment and personnel.
  • Through this agreement - one of the first of its kind in Canada - the Province and the Canadian Red Cross are working together to provide collaborative planning, training and joint exercises that will enhance mutual emergency and disaster response capacity. 
  • In addition, government and the Red Cross are working to develop and implement a plan and framework to help ensure the continued timely and effective deployment of Emergency Response Units (ERUs) as temporary resources to assist British Columbia in times of a major or catastrophic disaster.

2012 Freshet:

  • The 2012 Spring Freshet produced the highest river water levels in B.C. since 1972.
  • EMBC supported communities and individuals in their response to potential and actual flooding by deploying over 1.3 million sandbags and more than six kilometres of gabion baskets throughout every region in the province. 
  • A total of 70 communities, including 12 First Nations and 14 Regional Districts were found eligible for Disaster Financial Assistance. 
  • Twenty communities across the province received commitments for funding for permanent flood protection projects to better help protect communities from flood events in the future.

Social media:

  • The EMBC social media unit was initiated in January 2012 and provides 24/7 emergency alerts and public education on emergency preparedness.
  • In the last year, @EmergencyInfoBC has established the largest online following in all of government and the most online communication tools including Pinterest, YouTube channels, and a twitter audience of almost 23,000.

Tsunami response:

  • Quickly after the October 27, 2012 earthquake, EMBC implemented several new mechanisms to help expedite notification to affected communities.
  • These improvements help us streamline communication and then provided an opportunity to review and update policies, procedures and alerting processes that were proven more effective and efficient in the January earthquake.
  • They include:
    • EMBC forwarding a West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Centre alert immediately to a priority emergency e-mail distribution list that includes all local authorities and first responders that receive provincial emergency notification system (PENS) updates.
    • EMBC posting information on its Twitter account, @EmergencyInfoBC, blog and other social media outlets to continue to update British Columbians throughout a potential disaster.
    • A mobile-friendly version of the EMBC blog, available at http://www.EmergencyInfoBC.gov.bc.ca
    • If you have an RSS app on your smartphone, you have the ability to sign up for blog notifications at http://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/atom.xml
    • Approved partner Twitter accounts that @EmergencyInfoBC can retweet to followers while B.C.-specific information is being confirmed
    • Development underway of an interactive map of tsunami warning zones, including a community finder, so the public can determine whether they are at risk should there be a warning
    • Template blog posts to increase the speed of information posted to the EMBC blog
    • Digital recordings that will be made available of the latest tsunami warning information on EMBC's SoundCloud site: http://soundcloud.com/bcgov/sets/emergencyinfobc

Contact:

Ministry of Justice
Government Communications and Public Engagement
250 356-6961       

https://news.gov.bc.ca/04255

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