RELEVANT
FOCUSED
READY

Strategies for Improving Emergency Management and Community
Resilience in Canada’s North
Matthew Newman

Introduction

Recommendations

Woven into the fabric of the Government of Nunavut’s (n.d.) mandate are Inuit
Societal Values based on the principle that “survival in Nunavut’s harsh climate is
only achieved by working together on life skills and principles for living”. The
territorial government’s recognition of the collective effort required to survive in
the austere conditions of the Arctic reiterates the importance for policies and
strategies that instill and improve disaster resilience within Arctic communities.
Separated by vast distances, only accessible by air, water, or snowmobile (Canada
Without Poverty [CWP], 2016, p. 2), Nunavut communities are isolated in the truest
sense of the word. Separated from the help of other communities, far away from
the reach of federal government resources, these communities must be capable of
managing localized emergencies, and sustaining basic response operations. The
reality is however, that higher levels of housing and food insecurity, and poor
community health rates (CWP, 2016, p. 2), make the management of sudden and
disruptive emergency events extremely difficult.

While developing strategies that address EM program shortcomings, and that
establish and improve community resilience towards disasters, it became apparent
that the fundamental principle of disaster resilience – a return to pre-disaster
conditions following an incident, seems counterproductive in the context of Arctic
communities. Given the identified infrastructure inadequacies and generally austere
living conditions in many Nunavut communities, positive recovery strategies that
utilize recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction phases post-disaster to increase
resilience through integrated risk reduction measures, should be enacted (United
Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, 2017, p. 6).

Background

Public Policy and Management

Nunavut, the newest, largest, and most northerly territory in Canada, is home to
35,944 residents (Statistics Canada, 2016) spread amongst 25 remote and isolated
communities, none of which are connected by traditional transportation routes, and
are only accessible only by air, water, or snowmobile during winter (CWP, 2016, p.
2). Local infrastructure is, in many cases, limited, and inconsistent access to other
essential services such as healthcare, has produced higher instances of preventable
mortality and hospitalization for ambulatory care (Young, Chatwood & Marchildon,
2016, p. 59), and rates of unintentional injury 3.7 times higher than the national
average (Clark, Ford & Tabish, 2017, p. 135).

Methods

Qualitative research methods were used to collect, process, and analyze data from a
variety of secondary sources. A detailed examination of local cultures, customs, and
styles of governance was conducted to gain a better understanding of, and
appreciation for, the unique challenges and lifestyles present in Nunavut
communities. Secondary sourced interviews and surveys were collected to compare
feedback from local residents, community leaders, and EM officials, on local and
territorial EM processes, and to help identify any themes or consistencies.
Responses were compared with federal, territorial, and municipal policies,
legislation, and reports, academic papers, and institutional research projects. In the
development of strategies for improving community-based EM capabilities,
identified shortcomings were categorized in accordance to a guideline for
establishing community resilience to disasters (Kapucu, Hawkins & Rivera, 2013, pp.
1-2). Strategies are presented in the following categories: public policy and
management, planning and development, and behavioural and social networks.

Results/Findings

Consistencies and overlaps in the results of reviewed research suggest there are
serious issues pertaining to jurisdictional authority and the establishment of a clear
chain-of-command during multi-organizational emergency response. The number of
different groups that possess responsibility for certain classifications of emergencies
in the Arctic, has caused great confusion among local first responder groups during
the critical initial stages of response. Intrinsically connected to these identified
hierarchical issues were significant breakdowns in communication between key
individuals and organizations critical to the EM process. In some cases, local EM
personnel were unaware of the proper channels for escalating the situation to
higher authorities, and were unsure of where incident reports and updates should
be directed (Benoit, 2014, pp. 15-16). Historic incident reports also revealed a
critical need for EM resources, equipment, and supplies, qualified/trained
personnel, and a dedicated EOC (Government of Nunavut [GN], 2016, p. 9).

Discussion

Identified shortcomings during the literature review were confirmed upon review of
the feedback provided by locally formed working groups composed of community
members, local first responder groups, and individuals involved in municipal,
territorial, and federal EM, taken after the conclusion of a training scenario. In the
Arctic, an emergency event, whether caused by human or natural factors, can
quickly cascade into a more profound situation because of remoteness, weather,
limited transportation and communications options, insufficient resources, and
many other factors. Seemingly innocuous systems failures like heat, water, power,
transportation, communication, and/or resupply can have deadly consequences
when the extreme nature of Arctic hazards is considered (Funston, 2014, p. 8).
Increasing levels of maritime traffic in the Arctic region also contribute to the
possibility that an external event might occur and further complicate the logistics of
response. As a result, a large number of SAR incidents occur in Nunavut – 251
occurred in 2015 alone (GN, 2016, p. 12).

Guy Boudreault (n.d.). Canadian Forces conduct joint-exercise for a simulated
airplane crash near Resolute, Nunavut. Retrieved from
https://poli.ucalgary.ca/node/2639

In accordance with Kapucu et al.’s (2013) guideline for establishing community
resilience to disasters, the following strategies are recommended for
implementation at various levels of territorial governance for the purpose of
improving regional EM:

 Maintain oversight and collaborative relationships with Municipal Councils, local
EM staff, and volunteer groups;
 Reduce the level of responsibility placed on communities from EM/SAR demands
while encouraging resilience and self-sufficiency; and,
 Require agencies with jurisdictional EM authority to maintain a staffed position
at the Nunavut Emergency Management (NEM) headquarters.
Delays implementing territorial EM legislation are reportedly attributed to an
inability for some communities to develop their own functioning EM programs and
plans (GN, 2016, p. 10). The NEM must exercise greater oversight and control by
assisting communities develop, implement, test, and improve EM programs and
plans. Strong evidence suggests that the NEM expends significant resources, time,
and effort, responding to SAR incidents. It is therefore recommended that a
dedicated SAR branch of the NEM be formed, to assist with coordinating SAR
operations and communicating with appropriate jurisdictional authorities.
Representatives from these groups must work directly with the NEM and members
of the community to effectively develop EM programs that address and account for
community limitations, and delays in the arrival of external support.
Planning and Development
 Conduct regular tabletop exercises and maintain consistent communications
with responsible agencies and community leadership;
 Improve and upgrade existing infrastructure; and,
 Introduce advanced technology, equipment, and encourage innovation.
Many identified challenges could be resolved through the placement of full-time
military and coast guard SAR personnel and assets in the Arctic. Current distances
between SAR coordination centres and Northern communities is not conducive to
positive working relationships, which has resulted in many issues pertaining to
authority and responsibility during emergency events. More EM training and crosstraining for community members is strongly advised and should be prioritized in the
absence of permanently staffed positions within the NEM for Arctic EM
representatives.
The NEM must establish a permanent/dedicated EOC, properly equipped with
modern and compatible equipment/systems. Current medical facilities present in
communities must be outfitted with sufficient equipment and supplies to provide
advanced levels of care. While permanent doctors in each community might be
unfeasible, there must be a minimum number of community members with
advanced first aid and medical training. For larger mass-casualty events, an
Emergency Medical Response Team should be established – consisting of specialized
medical professionals on-call to deploy to territorial emergencies. It became
especially apparent that community infrastructure critical to coordinating and
supporting emergency operations such as airstrips, must immediately be improved
or constructed to service aircraft used by first responder groups.
Behavioural and Social Networks
 Train, educate, and familiarize.
Pursuant to discussed training programs and initiatives, there exists a requirement
for external organizations to develop positive relationships with communities.
Future training exercises should include input and participation from as many
communities and local first responder groups as possible. This will also provide a
beneficial level of cross-training, as local EM groups gain experience and knowledge
from different authorities with different functions.

References

Benoit, L. E. (2014). Perspectives on emergency response in the Canadian Arctic – Part C: Findings of the hypothetical scenario.
Retrieved from https://gordonfoundation.ca/resource/perspectives-on-emergency-response-in-the-canadian-arctic/
Canada Without Poverty (2016). Nunavut – poverty progress profile. Retrieved from https://www.cwpcsp.ca/resources/sites/default/files/resources/Nunavut-%20PPP%202016.pdf
Clark, D. G., Ford, J. D., & Tabish, T. (2018). What role can unmanned aerial vehicles play in emergency response in the Arctic: A
case study from Canada. PLoS ONE, 13(12), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0205299
Funston, B. (2014). Emergency preparedness in Canada’s North: An examination of community capacity. Retrieved from http://
gordonfoundation.ca/app/uploads/2017/03/2014_Bernard_EmergencyPreparednessCanadasArctic_WEB.pdf
Government of Nunavut. (2016). Nunavut emergency management annual report 2015-2016. Retrieved from
https://www.assembly.nu.ca/sites/default/files/TD-252-4(3)-EN-Nunavut-Emergency-Management-Annual-Report-20152016.pdf
Kapucu, N., Hawkins, C. V. & Rivera, F. I. (2013). Disaster resiliency: Interdisciplinary perspectives. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.
Nunavut. Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs. (n.d.). About Nunavut. Retrieved from
https://www.gov.nu.ca/eia/information/about-nunavut
Statistics Canada (2016). Census profile, 2016 census. Retrieved from https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/censusrecensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?
Lang=E&Geo1=PR&Code1=62&Geo2=FED&Code2=62001&Data=Count&SearchText=Nunavut&SearchT
ype=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All
United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (2017). Build Back Better – in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Retrieved from https://www.unisdr.org/files/53213_bbb.pdf
Young, T. K., Chatwood, S. & Marchildon, G. P. (2016). Healthcare in Canada’s North: Are we getting value for money? Healthcare
Policy, 12(1), 59-70.

Bachelor of Emergency and Security Management Studies

Justice Institute of British Columbia