At CIP, we continue to advocate on behalf of the profession and highlight the essential contributions planners make in shaping the future of our communities. Last week, we submitted a response to Public Safety Canada’s call for public engagement on strengthening federal leadership in emergency management. We would like to extend a sincere thank you to our volunteers on the Climate Mitigation & Adaptation National Policy Working Group and to Edward Nichol RPP, MCIP, Senior Planner of Regional Land Use Policy, City of Vancouver, whose expertise helped identify key planning priorities and inform this submission.
Our response highlighted that climate-related hazards often extend beyond jurisdictional boundaries, which necessitates more integrated approaches to risk reduction and emergency preparedness across levels of government. Coordination before and during emergencies could be improved through more consistent data, shared tools, and strengthened knowledge-sharing mechanisms. Planners, industry partners, and local governments all work at different intersections of emergency management and risk reduction, and improved coordination between these groups can help ensure that resilience measures are practical and effective at the community level.