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August 22, 1997
(Municipal and Provincial Affairs)

Joint federal/provincial support to improve emergency preparedness in Newfoundland

Federal, provincial and municipal commitments totalling $473,357 toward joint emergency preparedness projects in Newfoundland to be completed by the end of March 1998 were announced today by Arthur Reid, Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs who is also minister responsible for emergency measures in Newfoundland, and Fred Mifflin, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister Responsible for the Atlantic Canada Development Agency (ACOA).

The federal commitment of $269,547 announced by Mr. Mifflin on behalf of Arthur C. Eggleton, federal Minister Responsible for Emergency Preparedness, is made available under the Joint Emergency Preparedness Program (JEPP). This program enables the federal government to contribute to, or to undertake jointly with the provinces and territories, emergency preparedness projects that ensure a reasonably uniform level of emergency preparedness and response across the country.

"Today's announcement is a timely reminder of the importance of the federal and provincial governments continuing to work together to ensure our communities are ready to cope with all kinds of emergencies so lives and property are protected," said Mr. Mifflin.

"This announcement demonstrates the federal government's continuing commitment to support local and provincial efforts to improve emergency preparedness and response in Newfoundland and Labrador. Training for emergency responders, communications and other types of equipment and enhanced coordination of emergency plans and services among federal, provincial and local responders are essential to safeguarding lives and property in major emergencies," said Mr. Reid.

The largest share of the newly approved federal and provincial funds for joint projects has been earmarked for the Emergency Measures Organization toward the first year of its three-year emergency preparedness program that includes assisting operating a provincial emergency operations centre in St. John's, supporting a Provincial Emergency Response Team (PERT), assisting municipalities to develop emergency plans and conducting emergency exercises. The federal and provincial governments are each committing $97,700 toward the EMO's activities in 1997-98.

The federal and provincial government are each committing $20,000 toward a mass casualty medical response vehicle to be operated by the Department of Health/General Hospital that can be dispatched anywhere in the province. Both governments are also committing funds toward a province-wide emergency preparedness training program. The federal government is committing $81,300 and the provincial government $27,100. In addition, the provincial emergency social services training program receives a federal commitment of $17,306 and a provincial commitment of $5,769 toward courses to train emergency social services and Red Cross staff in registration and enquiry, critical incident stress debriefing and emergency social services planning.

Two other approved projects that have received commitments for federal and community funding: an enhanced emergency communications system for the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay with the town and the federal government each contributing $21,334 and an emergency response vehicle with the capability of responding to hazardous materials incidents for the volunteer fire department servicing the Channel-Port aux Basques area to which the federal and local government are each planning to contribute up to $31,907.

The federal JEPP commitment announced today was provided for in the most recent federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework. This is an example of how the federal government is prioritizing its spending so that it can better serve Canadians by making efficient use of their tax dollars. The federal funds are paid out only after the projects have been completed.

Since JEPP began in 1980, the federal government's contributions toward emergency preparedness projects in Newfoundland, including the commitments announced today, will total approximately $2.8 million by the end of March 1998.

Contact:

Len LeRiche
Regional Director
Newfoundland and Labrador
Emergency Preparedness Canada
(709) 772-5522

OR

Gary Callahan
Director of Communications
Dept. of Municipal and Provincial Affairs
(709) 729-3142