The Growing Intersection of Social and Climate Emergencies in Canada
As Canada faces increasing climate disasters, economic instability, and deepening social crises, traditional emergency management frameworks are struggling to keep pace. The rise of homelessness, opioid overdoses, gang-related community takeovers, and encampments signals an urgent need to redefine what constitutes an emergency. These challenges highlight the interconnectedness of social and environmental crises and the need for integrated, proactive emergency response strategies.
This Karto Signals Briefing (February 2024) explores how Canadian policymakers can move beyond outdated disaster response models to embrace a whole-of-society approach—one that bridges the gap between emergency management, social services, and long-term resilience planning.
Key Findings: The Evolution of Emergency Preparedness in Canada
- Emerging Social Emergencies Are Redefining Crisis Management
- Historically, emergencies have been defined by natural disasters, public health crises, or security threats.
- Today, issues like mass homelessness, overdose outbreaks, and gang-related community takeovers are pushing municipalities to declare social emergencies to unlock funding and resources.
- Vancouver, Edmonton, and St. Stephen, NB, have all declared homelessness emergencies to fast-track social infrastructure investments.
- Government Responses Are Lagging Behind the Scale of the Crisis
- Federal and provincial emergency management plans remain siloed, failing to integrate social vulnerability factors into disaster risk planning.
- The Auditor General’s 2024 report reveals major gaps in translating high-level emergency policies into on-the-ground interventions.
- Climate Change Is Worsening Social Vulnerabilities
- Extreme weather events disproportionately impact marginalized groups, including low-income families, seniors, and Indigenous communities.
- Homeless populations face extreme health risks during heatwaves, floods, and cold snaps, yet few emergency preparedness strategies account for their specific needs.
- Ontario allocated $30 million in 2023 for municipalities to enhance flood mapping and climate risk assessments, but experts warn this is not enough to address systemic social vulnerabilities.
- Municipalities Are Taking the Lead in Declaring Social Emergencies
- Cities are bypassing traditional emergency frameworks to address urgent social crises:
- Vancouver (2023): Declared homelessness an emergency, mobilizing resources for emergency shelter access.
- Edmonton (2024): Declared a housing and homelessness emergency, citing rising encampments and overdose deaths.
- Hamilton (2024): Unanimously voted to declare a public emergency on homelessness, opioid addiction, and mental health crises.
- Legal and Policy Shifts Are Reshaping Emergency Definitions
- New provincial laws are recognizing non-traditional emergencies:
- British Columbia’s 2023 Emergency Program Act now includes social vulnerability factors in emergency planning.
- Quebec’s legal reforms allow municipalities to declare social crises as emergencies, unlocking additional resources.
- Courts in Ontario and British Columbia have ruled that encampment evictions are unconstitutional if shelter alternatives are inadequate, forcing a policy shift toward housing-first approaches.
Strategic Solutions for an Integrated Emergency Response Framework
1. Integrate Social Emergency Planning into Disaster Preparedness
- Develop multi-sector emergency management teams that include housing providers, mental health services, and Indigenous leaders.
- Expand emergency planning frameworks to address social crises alongside natural disasters.
- Implement real-time data tracking of homelessness, overdoses, and community instability to guide proactive intervention.
2. Strengthen Municipal Power to Declare & Respond to Social Emergencies
- Ensure municipal emergency declarations trigger automatic funding allocations for social services.
- Reform provincial funding models to allow cities to reallocate disaster response funds toward housing-first solutions and harm reduction strategies.
3. Expand Federal & Provincial Funding for Social Infrastructure Resilience
- Increase disaster resilience funding for low-income housing retrofits, climate-safe shelters, and mobile health units.
- Establish a dedicated federal emergency response agency to coordinate social and climate crises.
4. Shift from Enforcement-Based to Prevention-Based Encampment Responses
- Replace encampment evictions with housing-first strategies and sanctioned, service-supported encampment models.
- Train police and bylaw officers in harm reduction and trauma-informed crisis response.
5. Improve Data-Driven Coordination Across Government Levels
- Adopt AI-driven emergency modeling to predict social and climate crises before they escalate.
- Use GIS mapping tools to track vulnerable populations in real-time, ensuring better emergency preparedness.
Building a More Resilient, Adaptive Emergency Response System
The boundaries between traditional and social emergencies are collapsing. The next generation of emergency planning must integrate social infrastructure, climate resilience, and rapid response strategies to protect vulnerable populations and prevent long-term crises.
By adopting a holistic, data-driven approach, Canadian policymakers can move beyond reactive emergency management to proactive social resilience planning, ensuring that no community is left behind in the face of an evolving crisis landscape.
For detailed case studies, legal shifts, and policy recommendations, read the full Karto Signals Briefing (February 2024).
Read Full Report Here:
https://hubs.ly/Q02wXVfW0
