Toronto Office of Emergency Management
| Headquarters | 703 Don Mills Rd, 6th Floor, Toronto, ON |
|---|---|
| Executive Director | Joanna Beaven-Desjardins |
| Annual Budget | $4.97 million (2024) |
| Staff | Approx. 40 |
| Website | https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/public-safety-alerts/ |
Toronto Emergency Management (TEM), formerly the Toronto Office of Emergency Management, is a municipal division and office of emergency management for the City of Toronto responsible for coordinating emergency preparedness, response, and recovery efforts for the municipal government in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Toronto Emergency Management helps to coordinate the city's emergency response and recovery efforts through various city divisions and agencies, provincial and federal governments, non-governmental organizations, and private sector partners, to ensure the city is prepared to handle natural disasters, public health emergencies, technological incidents, and other crises. It is also responsible for the City’s Emergency Plan and the Emergency Operations Centre.[1]
History
[edit]The evolution of emergency management in Toronto is reported to have begun as early as 1832, during the First Great Cholera Outbreak, where Toronto organized its first ambulance service, followed by police services in 1834[2]. Following the devastating effects of Hurricane Hazel that same year, the Metropolitan Toronto Council approved creation of the new Civil Defense Organization in 1955[2], under the leadership of Toronto Mayor Leslie H. Saunders. In 1966, staff from the Toronto Emergency Measures Organization and the Toronto Department of Public Health transferred to form the new Department of Metropolitan Toronto Emergency Services.
In 1974, reductions in federal emergency measures funding results in the decline and eventual disbanding of the Metropolitan Toronto Emergency Services Department. Following the brief ownership of emergency measures planning by Toronto Police, the Metropolitan Toronto Emergency Planning Committee was formally established in 1979, followed by the first edition of the new Metropolitan Toronto Emergency Plan being published in 1980[2].
In 1998, following amalgamation, Works and Emergency Services Department established the Toronto Emergency Planning Office, which inherited ownership for emergency management planning and administration of the Toronto Emergency Planning Committee[2]. In 2001, a new Emergency Operations Centre was established.
In 2010, the Toronto Office of Emergency Management was reorganized, moved out of Technical Services and has since reported directly to the Deputy City Manager under new directorship. [2]
Legislation & Governance
[edit]Toronto Emergency Management is governed by the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 59[3], as well as Ontario's Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA). The EMCPA specifies that all municipalities in the province of Ontario shall "develop and implement an emergency management program and adopt it through by-law"[4]. An emergency management program must consist of:
- an emergency plan
- training programs and exercises for employees of municipalities and other persons with respect to the provision of required services and procedures to be followed in emergency response and recovery activities,
- public education on risks to public safety and on public preparedness for emergencies, and
- any other element required by standards for emergency management programs that may be developed by the Ontario government
The EMCPA further specifies requirements for assessing hazards and risks, training programs to ensure readiness, exercise requirements, and review of the emergency plan on an annual basis.[4]
Organizational Structure
[edit]Toronto Emergency Management is led by the Executive Director, who is responsible for overseeing the department's strategic initiatives, policy development, and operational preparedness[5]. Directors and Managers then oversee the individual program areas staffed by Emergency Management Coordinators[5].
These program areas include:
- Community Engagement & Resiliency
- Disaster & Risk Reduction
- Nuclear Program
- Operations & Logistics
- Planning & Preparedness
- Special Events Planning (including the 2026 FIFA World Cup)
- Strategic Initiatives
- Training & Exercises
Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment (HIRA)
[edit]According to the Toronto's Emergency Plan, emergencies in Toronto are categorized into three primary hazard types:
- Natural Hazards: These arise from forces of nature but may be triggered or exacerbated by human activity. Examples include floods, extreme heat, and winter storms.
- Human-Caused Hazards: These result from intentional or unintentional human actions or inactions, such as terrorism, explosions, and fires.
- Technological Hazards: These stem from the manufacture, transportation, or use of hazardous substances, including chemicals, explosives, and radioactive materials.
The top 10 risks facing Toronto include:
- Energy supply emergencies
- Explosions or fires
- Severe winter weather
- Pandemics
- Cyber threats
- Acts of terrorism
- Epidemics
- Flooding
- Fuel or natural gas supply disruptions
- Extreme heat
Concept of Operations
[edit]Toronto Emergency Management coordinates the City of Toronto’s emergency response efforts in collaboration with emergency services such as the Toronto Police Service, Toronto Fire Services, and Toronto Paramedic Services, as well as other city divisions, agencies, and corporations. While routine incidents are managed independently by these organizations, larger-scale emergencies may require additional coordination and resources. In such cases, the City’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) can be activated to provide centralized support and oversight. When necessary, the City may request mutual aid from neighboring municipalities under existing agreements or seek assistance from the provincial government for financial and physical resources to manage the emergency’s impacts effectively.[6]
Emergency response in Toronto is guided by the Toronto Emergency Plan and supported by additional Emergency Support Functions and Risk-Specific Plans.
- Councilor Coordination: Establishes protocols for notifying the City Clerk’s Office and Councilors during Emergency Operations Centre activations, and ensures regular communication during significant emergencies for Councilors, their staff, and other relevant personnel.
- Animal Care and Relief Services: Outlines emergency response plans for displaced service and companion animals. Coordinated by Toronto Animal Services, this function ensures pre-identified responders fulfill defined roles to provide animal care and relief.
- Damage Assessment: Defines roles and responsibilities for inspecting and reporting on the condition of buildings, infrastructure, and designated structures after an incident, ensuring informed decision-making during recovery.
- Debris Management: Guides the removal and disposal of debris after an incident to protect public health and safety, support rescue operations, and expedite recovery efforts.
- Emergency Donations Management: Provides guidance for managing financial contributions and donated goods during emergencies.
- Emergency Information and Media Relations: Details the responsibilities of the Strategic Public and Employee Communications Division in disseminating critical information to the public, employees, media, and officials during emergencies. Emphasizes coordinated messaging when multiple jurisdictions are involved.
- Emergency Social Services: Provides support for displaced residents during emergencies, excluding medical care and long-term housing.
- Evacuation: Offers guidance for planning, executing, and managing community evacuations, including alerting residents, moving populations, and overseeing re-entry once areas are deemed safe.
- Mass Casualty: Coordinates medical and health responses to mass casualty incidents, led by Toronto Paramedic Services. Includes collaboration with city agencies and private healthcare providers to address urgent medical needs.
- Traffic Management: Organizes transportation resources to ensure safe and efficient movement during emergencies. Focuses on protecting first responders, residents, and visitors while maintaining public safety.
- Volunteer Management: Facilitates the coordination and placement of unaffiliated volunteers to support emergency response efforts. Defines roles and provides guidance for Human Resources as the lead division for volunteer management.
- Flooding: Establishes a framework for the City of Toronto's coordinated response to major flood events. The plan outlines public safety measures and strategies to minimize property damage, detailing the roles and activities of city agencies and external stakeholders during both response and recovery phases.
- Nuclear Emergency Response Plan: Defines how the City of Toronto will manage and coordinate efforts in response to emergencies at the Pickering and Darlington Nuclear Generating Stations, ensuring public safety and effective communication with provincial and federal partners.
- Power Disruption (Electricity): Identifies the roles and responsibilities of Toronto's divisions, agencies, and corporations during power outages. Supports Toronto Hydro's efforts in delivering a timely response, ensuring responder safety, and facilitating a coordinated recovery. This plan emphasizes operational procedures to maintain health and safety and contribute to the city’s resilience during and after power interruptions.
Response Goals
[edit]The primary objectives of Toronto Emergency Management's response efforts are to mitigate the impacts of emergencies on people, property, and financial resources[3]. To achieve this, Emergency Operations Centre staff ensure that all aspects of the response follow a standardized set of goals, prioritized as follows:
- Ensure the safety and health of emergency responders
- Preserve lives
- Alleviate suffering
- Safeguard public health
- Protect critical government infrastructure
- Defend property from harm
- Preserve the environment
- Minimize economic and social disruptions
Emergency Operations Centre (EOC)
[edit]The Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is the central facility where the City of Toronto coordinates its strategic response to emergencies. It is responsible for managing resources, personnel, and incident information, ensuring a well-organized and effective response to emergencies[3]. The EOC works in tandem with any on-site command structure, offering additional coordination, support, resource management, and information management, rather than replacing the need for direct command at the incident site.
Coordination Partners
[edit]Toronto Emergency Management coordinates emergency response with the following divisions, agencies, and corporations within the Toronto Public Service[3]:
| 311 Toronto |
| City Clerk’s Office |
| City Manager’s Office |
| Corporate Real Estate Management |
| Deputy City Manager’s Office, Community and Social Services |
| Deputy City Manager’s Office, Corporate Services |
| Deputy City Manager’s Office, Infrastructure and Development Services |
| Engineering & Construction Services |
| Toronto Emergency Management (Chair) |
| Office of the Chief Financial Officer |
| Parks, Forestry and Recreation |
| People and Equity |
| Purchasing and Materials Management |
| Shelter, Support and Housing Administration |
| Solid Waste Management Services |
| Strategic Partnerships |
| Strategic Public and Employee Communications |
| Technology Services |
| Toronto and Region Conservation Authority |
| Toronto Building |
| Toronto Fire Services |
| Toronto Hydro |
| Toronto Paramedic Services |
| Toronto Police Service |
| Toronto Public Health |
| Toronto Public Library |
| Toronto Transit Commission |
| Toronto Water |
| Transportation Services |
Notable Incidents
[edit]- Air Canada Flight 621 - 1970
- Go Train TTC Bus Crash - 1975
- Mississauga train derailment - 1979
- Russell Hill subway accident - 1995
- CNE Royal Air Force plane crash - 1996
- Toronto icestorm - 1998
- Toronto snowstorm - 1999
- September 11th attacks - 2001
- 2002-2004 SARS outbreak - 2003
- Northeast blackout of 2003 - 2003
- Air France Flight 358 - 2005
- Toronto propane explosion - 2008
2010-present
[edit]- 2010 G20 Toronto summit - 2010
- 2013 Toronto ice storm - 2013
- 2015 Pan American Games - 2015
- COVID-19 pandemic - 2020 (onward)
- Southern Ontario derecho - 2022
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Toronto Emergency Management". City of Toronto. 2017-09-26. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
- ^ a b c d e f The Evolution of Emergency Management in Toronto (PDF). Sep 22, 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2014.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ a b c d e "Toronto's Emergency Plan". City of Toronto. 2017-11-14. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
- ^ a b Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. E.9 | ontario.ca
- ^ a b "Toronto Emergency Management". City of Toronto. 2017-09-26. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
- ^ a b "Toronto's Emergency Plan". City of Toronto. 2017-11-14. Retrieved 2024-12-20.