Exchange Summer 2014 Revised by LGMA BC

EXCHANGE EXCHANGE is is aa quarterly quarterly magazine magazine published published by by the the Local Local Government Government Management Management Association Association (LGMA) (LGMA) of of British British Columbia. Columbia. It’s It’s about about sharing sharing information, information, exchanging exchanging ideas ideas on on best best practices, practices, enhancing enhancing professional professional development development and and building building networks. networks. Reach Reach us us at at www.lgma.ca. www.lgma.ca.

SUMMER 2014

CONFERENCE REPORT

RESPONSE READINESS

P13

RECOVERY CASE STUDY

P17

Catastrophic Events: We’re not ready... yet

Sharing information and expertise helps build strong, sustainable communities. Young Anderson is proud to support professional development opportunities for municipalities and regional districts.

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Update In this Issue President’s Report Executive Director’s Report Members Page Our Town

Professional Development 2 3 4 23 24

Fire Department Training

2014 LGMA Conference

Tips & Tactics: Emergency Preparedness Resources

Programs & Events

6 Blazing New Trails at 2014 LGMA Conference

Exchange is the magazine for members of the Local Government Management Association of British Columbia. Exchange is distributed quarterly to over 900 members of the LGMA, as well as Mayors and Regional District Chairs.

The 2014 LGMA Conference in Vancouver June 10-12 was an opportunity to share ideas, gain fresh perspectives, learn from insightful keynote speakers, and reconnect with colleagues and friends.

Catastrophic Events: We’re Not Ready... Yet

Exchange is printed on Sappi Flo, an FSC® Certified 10% post-consumer recycled paper at Island Business Print Group.

LGMA Office: 7th Floor 620 View Street Victoria, BC V8W 1J6 Telephone: 250.383.7032 Fax: 250.383.4879 Email: office@lgma.ca Web: www.lgma.ca Contact the Editor: Email: editor@lgma.ca

Cover Illustration: Zuki/Getty Images

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

8 Recent studies show we still have a lot of work to do to be truly prepared for disasters in British Columbia. The good news is that work is under way to identify gaps and develop solutions for local governments and First Nation communities.

17 High River: Recovering from Catastrophe High River, Alberta was devastated by a flood in 2013 that affected the entire community. Learn about the steps taken and the lessons learned as this determined town continues its recovery.

23 New Feature: Our Members in the Spotlight Our members are so much more than their job title. In this new feature, we provide a snapshot of some of the interesting and quirky things about our members, starting with Lee-Ann Crane.

IN THIS ISSUE

t seems like there’s daily news about natural disasters, major emergencies and other crisis situations around the world. It’s hard to measure whether the number of disasters has increased, or if we’re just more aware about what’s going on thanks to communication technology connecting us faster and more personally through social networks. The result is a growing awareness of the impacts and recovery challenges that stem from catastrophic events. This increased awareness leads to opportunities to focus on what the risks are in our communities, how well we are prepared to manage if disaster strikes, and what the role is for local government.

No one can be fully prepared for a catastrophic event, but as we learn in this edition of Exchange, there are measures that can help move us towards an increasingly improved position to respond effectively and support recovery. Part of this is through better planning and enhanced preparedness. In Catastrophic Events: We’re Not Ready… Yet, recent studies show that there’s work to be done to improve preparedness strategies. In response, Emergency Management British Columbia (EMBC) is leading a number of initiatives to work with local and regional governments and First Nations to identify gaps and develop practical solutions. Their approach recognizes the importance of working together – there are multiple agencies and governments involved in emergencies, and individual citizens share a responsibility for personal preparedness. It’s also alarming to realize that the financial impact of a major catastrophe would be devastating due to a current lack of sufficient insurance coverage, and the need to ensure citizens understand that they need their own insurance as the government won’t be paying for everything. The stories shared in Response Readiness for Small Communities demonstrate that practical solutions are possible, even in small communities with limited resources. The work being done in the District of Sparwood and at the Village of Queen Charlotte showcase how leveraging experience and the resources available through EMBC and the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC) can provide staff with the training and assistance they need to be successful when in emergency response mode. I was also moved and impressed by the incredible work being done in High River to recover from the devastation of last year’s flood that involved evacuating the entire town and flood damage to 70 per cent of the community.

The power of people working together, sharing expertise and focusing on a shared goal to recover as a community and support each other individually is inspiring. All of the shared stories also reinforce the importance of effective communication. With my background in crisis communications, in my role teaching the JIBC Information Officer program, and in the work I do to develop crisis communications strategies and training, I have witnessed both the success of effective communication in a crisis and the damage wrought by poor communication. With the advent of social media and the increase in community expectations to be kept informed and engaged in any crisis situation, the demands and requirements on local governments will continue to grow. A crisis communication plan, along with trained Information Officers and communication teams, has become an imperative. It’s equally important to emphasize that this communication starts at the preparedness stage, becomes intense in the midst of the crisis event, and continues throughout the recovery process. It’s enlightening and reassuring to hear how communities are taking the initiative to keep emergency management and personal preparedness on everyone’s radar – including Councils and Boards, staff and community members. Learning from each other and leveraging the resources available are key to creating the tools needed to assist and support communities when dealing with an emergency, or worse, a catastrophic event. Many thanks to everyone for sharing their stories and highlighting the resources available to support emergency management. Therese Mickelson, ABC Editor

Upcoming themes for Exchange: Fall 2014 Asset Management & the Infrastructure Funding Gap Update Winter 2015 Revitalizing Your Community

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

The LGMA is focused on how we can support you as our members to help ensure you are equipped to handle whatever gets thrown at you.

oogle “Be Prepared” and a wide variety of websites pop up. From Boy Scouts and The Lion King to new dads and emergency management, there is a wealth of information available to help you prepare for whatever challenge you are facing. Being prepared essentially means making sure you have the tools needed to respond to whatever comes your way.

Developing the Strategic Plan has been an inspirational part of leading our organization this past year, and it has been a pleasure to have worked closely with Nancy and the LGMA team, your Board of Directors and the local Chapters across the province. I trust that the new Strategic Plan will assist the incoming Board to be prepared for whatever comes its way.

To the LGMA, being prepared means ensuring we are able to support our members as they face the many challenges that impact local government management professionals. This past year, the LGMA has been planning for how it will help you as members be prepared for whatever comes your way. To be clear, this isn’t about how the LGMA will help you manage emergencies or how to formulate a plan for recovery as highlighted in this edition of the Exchange. Instead, we are focused on how we can support you as our members to help ensure you are equipped to handle whatever gets thrown at you. It could be a curve ball, a knuckleball, or a slider to all the baseball fans out there, or more realistically a new Council, new legislation or a major catastrophe. This LGMA planning process has resulted in a new Strategic Plan for the organization so that the LGMA is ready, willing and able to help you build your Local Government Management toolkit.

I wish the best of success to the incoming Board and the LGMA team, and thank you all for your support this past year.

The new Strategic Plan refreshes the Vision, Mission and Values of the LGMA. It focuses the LGMA’s efforts and resources in order to support our members. It reflects the interests of our members and their anticipated needs for the next five years. It considers the emerging trends impacting the work of the LGMA and the local government management professionals we support. The Strategic Plan offers a cohesive, strategic mix of programs and services that support the needs of the membership and reinforces the core strengths of the LGMA. It also includes targeted strategies to leverage our organizational strengths so that the LGMA can retain its competitive advantage in the field of training and development. I encourage you to check out the new Strategic Plan and then volunteer to do what you can to help support our strategic goals and objectives. Our Association is only as strong as the members that support it. In order to retain our strengths, we need to ensure we have the continued support and service from our members.

, CGA President

Our Vision is to be recognized as a world class financial institution for the benefit of taxpayers in British Columbia, and to be the preferred choice for our clients... Our value will increase each year

FINANCING Lowest cost of funds in Canada’s municipal sector $4.7 Billion in acƟve loans

INVESTING Over $2.6 Billion managed on behalf of our clients Over $2.1 Billion invested by BC local government, their employees and elected oĸcials

EDUCATION SupporƟng our clients and communiƟes through direct Įnancial contribuƟons sponsorships classroom educaƟon Find out more online at: mfa.bc.ca

Call our dedicated team of 9 at: 250-383-1181

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

@MFABC1970

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT

We need to think about how we can attract young professionals to local government, given that their work motivations and requirements are very different from those of the Baby Boomers.

ow that Canada has eliminated the mandatory retirement age for most occupations, what will today’s local government workplace look like in the next few years? For many workplaces today, we may have as many as four different generations working side by side. The Lower Mainland Local Government Management Association’s Spring Chapter meeting explored some of the implications of the intergenerational workplace in an excellent presentation and discussion led by Cissy Pau of Clear HR Consulting. It’s a topic that’s been on our minds at LGMA too as we’ve focused on challenges and opportunities in the development of the 2014-2019 Strategic Plan. We have been thinking a lot about the value we deliver to our members and how educational and professional development training will have to adapt to respond to the needs and preferences of the changing demographic in the local government workplace.

Each of the four generations at work today have unique work ethics, very different perspectives on work and distinct ways of both managing and being managed. The mix includes “Traditionalists” (68 or older), “Baby Boomers” (48-67), “GenX” (35-47) and “Millennials” or “GenY” (19-34). So just how well prepared are we to recognize and respond to the differences of an intergenerational workplace? For LGMA, the question for us is also one of how to continue to serve and provide value to members across these different generations. LGMA had the very good fortune to experience the energy, enthusiasm and work style of a Millennial this spring to help us answer this specific question. We welcomed Kipp Sezginalp to the team for a University of Victoria Masters in Public Administration co-op placement. Kipp took on a major research project for LGMA, looking at our membership structure, fees and professional development offerings. He recommended some new ideas for us to improve the way we respond to the needs of our members, especially given the new entrants to local government from both the GenX and GenY demographic groups. Kipp’s research has helped the LGMA team to really focus on issues of succession planning within local government – something that came through loud and clear in our member survey in February and March – but also what we need to do to attract a new generation to become active, engaged members of LGMA. The recommendations emerging from Kipp’s research highlight that the differences between GenX/GenY and the Baby Boomers are not just their willingness to join associations, but their expectations about what membership means and the returns it provides.

We need to think about how can we attract and engage young professionals and new entrants to local government, given that their work motivations and requirements for reward are very different from those of the Baby Boomers, who have been LGMA’s largest membership group for the past two decades. The differences are striking: Baby Boomers are motivated by their careers; GenXers are motivated by time off; GenYers by public praise. More interestingly, Baby Boomers are loyal to the profession, while GenXers are loyal to individuals and GenYers to their friends and co-workers. These generational differences will affect attitudes towards membership in associations such as LGMA, as well as the technologies and techniques LGMA will need to consider to successfully engage them, including more online training options and the use of social media. The key outcomes of the research will drive a lot of our planning over the coming years. The younger generations clearly value work/life balance, but they recognize the need for both training and mentoring for career advancement. Seasoned LGMA members continue to highly value the career-enhancing benefits LGMA offers, including volunteer roles, and this is where there may be the greatest opportunity for connecting the two different generational perspectives around the value of belonging to a professional association. We will need advice and guidance from members – both new and long-standing – to help us develop these ideas further, so please don’t hesitate to send along your input to ntaylor@lgma.ca. Kipp’s report (LGMA Membership Review: Strategies and Techniques to Attract and Retain Members) can be found on the LGMA website at www.lgma.ca in the Resources & Publications section. The LGMA’s 2014-2019 Strategic Plan was presented at the June 11 Annual General Meeting, and I look forward to your feedback and ideas on some of the key new program ideas we will start working on in the fall. In the meantime, I hope you all have some fun and relaxing time off and enjoy your summer! Executive Director

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Supporting Volunteer Fire Departments Many thanks go to the members of the working group and key resource staff, who led the development of the curriculum:

Working Together: Effective Fire Service Administration for Fire Chiefs and Local Government CAOs Training Program – pilot program in fall 2014

• • • • •

Working in partnership with the Fire Chiefs’ Association of BC and Office of the Fire Commissioner at Emergency Management BC (EMBC), the LGMA has developed a training program to address the pressing need for knowledge, skill development and administrative and financial leadership to effectively operate volunteer, paid on call and smaller composite fire departments in B.C. The training, aimed primarily at smaller communities operating with limited resources, will support Chief Administrative Officers and Fire Chiefs of volunteer fire departments as they carry out their responsibilities to provide fire services in their community.

Janis Bell, CAO Cariboo Regional District Peter Weeber, CAO, Village of Queen Charlotte Gordon Anderson, Fire Commissioner, EMBC Don Jolley, 1st Vice President, Fire Chiefs’ Association of BC Chris Jancowski, Deputy Fire Chief, Port Alberni Fire Department

The curriculum and participant workbook will be evaluated at the two pilot training sessions.

The LGMA is fortunate to have received program curriculum funding from the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development and Municipal Finance Authority (through the Len Traboulay Education Fund). The LGMA is working to secure funding from partners and community stakeholders to help offset program delivery costs and ensure participation by smaller local governments who are in most need of this training.

The first pilot is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 7-9 in Prince George. A second pilot will be scheduled for spring 2015 in the Kootenay region.

For more information, please contact Elizabeth Brennan, LGMA Program Manager at ebrennan@lgma.ca.

For forty years, an important partnership between BC Assessment and local governments has formed the foundation for how our communities are funded. The annual assessment roll is the basis for local governments to raise nearly $6.7 billion in property taxes each year, making the work of BC Assessment crucial to communities.

1974-2014: Then & Now 1974

The BC Assessment Authority was created on July 2, 1974

1975

First assessment roll delivered with total value of $42.2 billion

1979

Surpassed one million properties across B.C. on the assessment roll

2010

Total assessment roll reaches over $1 trillion in value

2014

Celebrates 40th anniversary and achieves an historic low assessment roll appeal rate of only 0.91% out of a total of nearly two million properties

For more on the history of BC Assessment, visit: www.bcassessment.ca/ABOUT/Pages/History.aspx To ﬁnd out more: Phone: 1-866-valueBC or 1-866-825-8322 (local 00119) Email: bcacustomer.services@bcassessment.ca Web: www.bcassessment.ca

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

Inspiration and Innovation New ideas, fresh perspectives and a focus on outcomes based on strategy, innovation and shared goals were paramount at the 2014 LGMA Conference.

The well attended trade show was a chance to share ideas, network and reconnect with colleagues and old friends.

Former International Space Station Commander Chris Hadfield shared insights gained from his experiences in space at the 2014 LGMA Conference held June 10 to 12.

Held June 10 to 12 at the Westin Bayshore in Vancouver, the 2014 LGMA conference was anchored by two engaging and enlightening keynote speakers. Starting with the opening keynote speaker, David K. Foot, economist, demographer and author of the Boom, Bust and Echo books, delegates learned how the shift in demographics influences everything from the economy to how local governments plan for services and infrastructure projects. The patterns of age demographics and related impacts on Canada and countries around the world tell a story that canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be ignored and can help guide effective planning. Canadian astronaut Colonel Chris Hadfield shared his miraculous experiences in space, which he described as being â&#x20AC;&#x153;out in the universe with the world,â&#x20AC;? and prompted the audience to think differently about how to achieve goals. His approach includes setting long-term goals, visualizing failures affecting those goals, and adjusting behaviour to prevent or deal with failure. His advice to communicate, sharing honest human experiences and delegate true decision-making authority to the lowest possible level speaks to the importance of engaging people effectively to achieve success. And everyone shared the emotions of a community recovering from disaster as Doug Holmes highlighted the tremendous challenges and amazing community spirit experienced throughout the flood response and recovery in High River.

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

The concurrent sessions interspersed throughout the conference covered a broad range of topics, designed to meet the varying interests of delegates. As one delegate put it, “Every session has added value.” The trade show brought together an array of products and services tailored for local government. And as always, the socializing went beyond networking with colleagues – it was an opportunity to connect with long-time friends and develop new friendships that last a lifetime.

Celebrating Excellence: LGMA Awards 2014 We congratulate this year’s deserving award winners:

DISTINGUISHED PARTNER AWARD • Todd Pugh, Executive Director, CivicInfo BC

DISTINGUISHED MEMBERSHIP AWARD • Elaine Kumar, Manager of Corporate Administration, Regional District of Kootenay Boundary • David Stuart, Chief Administrative Officer, District of North Vancouver

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AWARD FOR INNOVATION • Raeleen Manjak, Director of Corporate Services, District of Sparwood

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AWARD FOR LEADERSHIP • Mark Brown, Retired Chief Administrative Officer for the Town of Qualicum Beach (retired) • Debra Oakman, Chief Administrative Officer, Comox Valley Regional District

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AWARD FOR VOLUNTEER SERVICES Elections Advisory Committee: • Lee-Ann Crane, Chief Administrative Officer, Regional District of East Kootenay • Karla Graham, City Clerk, City of North Vancouver • Karen Needham, Deputy City Clerk, City of Kelowna • Sheila Scholes, Manager of Legislative Services / Municipal Clerk, District of West Vancouver • Tyra Henderson, Deputy Director of Corporate Administration, City of Dawson Creek • Kelly Ridley, City Clerk, City of Port Moody

PRESIDENT’S AWARD • Ken Bayne, Municipal Pension Board Trustee (retired)

By Therese Mickelson, ABC

Catastrophic Events

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not ready... yet Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

It’s called

catastrophic

for a reason.

he magnitude of a major natural disaster like an earthquake or tsunami is hard to grasp and even more difficult to keep top of mind, but the ramifications for communities are loss of life, severe injuries, destroyed homes and businesses, and decimated infrastructure. The trauma of a catastrophic event can last for years. For some reason, the risk remains a hazy threat that lingers at the back of our minds. Brief moments of concern arise following major natural disasters in the news, when flickering thoughts like “one day it could happen to us” and “not sure if we’re prepared” trickle in. But the concern fizzles with time, and is often followed with the thought that it won’t really happen here, and if it does, the provincial government will take care of everything.

That false sense of security recently took a hit following the BC Auditor General’s Catastrophic Earthquake Preparedness March 2014 report that essentially states that Emergency Management BC (EMBC) is not prepared for a catastrophic emergency due to a number of factors, including a lack of planning and lack of resources. There is also a lack of awareness and action by residents in terms of their personal preparedness. The report notes that “catastrophic earthquake planning has not been made a priority by government or EMBC.” EMBC’s current operating budget for emergency activities is about the same as it was in 2006. It’s clear that new and more efficient ways need to be found to spend that funding as B.C.’s population continues to increase and there is new knowledge from the recent devastating earthquakes in Chile, Japan and New Zealand. The financial impacts of a major disaster are equally alarming. A recent report by the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) estimates that if a major earthquake and tsunami were to occur in a densely populated area, the public at large has insufficient insurance in place to cover damages and losses, with less than one-third of the costs covered. The report also notes that experts have recently estimated a 30 per cent probability of a catastrophic earthquake affecting B.C. in the next 50 years. Together, the reports paint a grim picture. There is not enough capacity to prepare communities for a catastrophic event. EMBC’s funding to prepare for such an event needs to be spent more effectively and efficiently, and there is not enough understanding among citizens that they have to be prepared to take care of themselves during a disaster and be sufficiently insured to recover from their losses.

“Emergency management is everyone’s responsibility – from the individual and family, business and industry, and all levels of government.” EMBC has taken prompt action to implement the Auditor General’s recommendations and shift the province towards increased preparedness, and local governments are integral to their preparedness measures. Initial actions include an extensive consultation process to identify gaps and challenges, and to collect input on how to address these areas. Henry Renteria, former Director of California’s Office of Emergency Services, is the EMBC Chair who is leading this emergency preparedness consultation and will develop the final report for the Minister of Justice. “Part of my role in this consultation is to work with the expertise and knowledge in our local governments, to identify gaps and challenges and then look at solutions such as policies, regulatory changes and best practices,” says Renteria. “Working together will allow us to focus on shared solutions that benefit as many communities as possible. Emergency management is everyone’s responsibility – from the individual and family, business and industry, and all levels of government. While my focus is on earthquakes, this review will complement an all-hazards approach to emergency preparedness and response, improving how we and our partners can better cope with and recover from any type of event.” The consultation is already underway across the province, running through July, and local governments and First Nations are being invited to participate in face-to-face meetings and conference calls. EMBC is also collecting written submissions. The schedule is designed to complete the consultation, collate input and deliver the consultation report by the end of December. The information and recommendations will be used to guide future preparedness initiatives and identify how all levels of government can strengthen provincial earthquake preparedness. Continued on page 10

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

Catastrophic Events: We’re Not Ready... Yet Continued from page 9

“Being a prepared jurisdiction for a major disaster like an earthquake involves almost everyone,” says Cameron Lewis, Executive Officer, EMBC. “We’re connecting with local authorities, NGOs (nongovernmental organizations), all levels of government and other key agencies who have a role in response and recovery – such as the Red Cross and utility companies – and our objective is to come up with practical recommendations to take forward on how we can improve our preparedness as a province and in our communities.” Lewis adds that the report will include focused recommendations that are very concrete and can be implemented. There will also be clear accountability requirements such as progress reports.

There have also been some recent successful initiatives, such as the partnership work done through the BC Earthquake Alliance and the Great British Columbia ShakeOut Day, to increase public awareness about earthquake safety and preparedness (www.shakeoutbc.ca). Another area being targeted as a potential gap is the need to expand emergency exercises. Lewis also anticipates there will be an identified need for better reporting to citizens on the current status of emergency response readiness and the importance of personal preparedness. EMBC is currently conducting a public education needs assessment in conjunction with its emergency preparedness consultation. The agency is researching what has been most effective in terms of literature and will be developing a set of recommendations on what a public education campaign on earthquakes would look like. Cameron Lewis

“We want to make it easier for local authorities and other stakeholders to see our progress and also understand what their role will be if a catastrophic earthquake occurs,” says Lewis. “We’re hoping that the group discussions will help clarify some issues, and this is a way for local governments to feed their recommendations and challenges straight to the provincial government, so I think it’s a key opportunity.” In addition to the consultation process, EMBC is building on its strengths, such as the shared system of response across the province through the British Columbia Emergency Response Management System (BCERMS) that is used by all local authorities in the province.

“There are statistics around the number of people who don’t have earthquake insurance or emergency kits, and who clearly do not know what they are supposed to do if there is a major disaster,” says Lewis.

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

“Local governments play an integral role in this type of community preparedness, and it will be interesting to hear from local authorities on what they would like to see and the shape they think future partnerships should take to address this area.”

INSURANCE SHORTFALL THREATENS RECOVERY The lack of sufficient insurance coverage for earthquakes is raising alarms about economic impact and recovery for businesses, organizations and individuals, and it’s exacerbated by the dramatic increase in insurance claims overall. IBC’s October 2013 Study of Impact and the Insurance and Economic Cost of A Major Earthquake in British Columbia and Ontario/Quebec found that damages and losses from a major earthquake followed by a tsunami in B.C. could amount to nearly $75 billion, and only $20 billion of that amount would be covered by insurance. Another impact on insurance coverage and rates is the rising costs related to severe weather and Serge Corbeil flooding. As an example, prior to 2009, the average payout from severe weather events over the previous 25 years was about $400 million per year. It has now escalated to about $1 billion per year in the last five years. The result is an increase in insurance rates, and a trend towards opting out of earthquake insurance due to higher costs. “Insurance coverage is not as high as it could be and we attribute this to a number of reasons,” says Serge Corbeil, Government Relations Manager, Western and Pacific, Insurance Bureau of Canada. “A lot of people don’t believe it’s going to happen in their lifetime and some think the government will be there to pay for it all. Some people are just not aware the product is available.” With the linkages between increasing insurance payouts, rising insurance costs and the need for insurers to be able to show the regulator they have the means to pay claims, IBC has identified two strategic priorities to address insurance risk in B.C. One is preparing for an earthquake and the other is adapting to severe weather. Local governments are key partners in supporting both of these priorities. “Increased rainfall, more days of rain and more intense rainfall are resulting in increased costs from sewer back-up claims, and we looked at what could be done to prevent neighbourhood flooding from these neighbourhood events,” says Corbeil. “We realized that if we could work with municipalities to help predict areas that are most at risk of infrastructure failure when it comes to water and wastewater, we could help prevent flooding and the related insurance claims.” The result is the development of the Municipal Risk Assessment Tool to help prevent urban flooding. The tool is in the pilot phase and is being tested in three communities in Canada, including Coquitlam, B.C. The tool collects data related to infrastructure (such as the size of pipes), the intensity, duration and frequency of rainfall (including the current state and predictions for 2020 and 2050), and insurance claims data. Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

The data is collated into a colour-coded map of the community to use as a predictive tool when targeting infrastructure replacement and improvement requirements. “What we’re hoping the tool will do is highlight high-risk areas for where infrastructure might fail so that the municipality can go and investigate what is happening in that area and perhaps identify risks that need to be dealt with quickly,” says Corbeil. The pilot is scheduled for completion at the end of 2014, and the results will be used to determine next steps, including whether the tool should be made available more broadly to Canadian municipalities. In addition to the predictive tool, IBC is working with municipalities to encourage a review of building codes and bylaws to ensure they have mandatory back-flow valves as a key measure to reduce sewer back-up. “When we looked at insurance payouts from weather events, sewer back-up costs were significant,” says Corbeil. “One rainstorm in Toronto caused $900 million in insured losses, including sewer backup. Raising awareness about things like back-up valves and improving infrastructure can help to reduce these claims and related insurance cost increases.” Raising awareness about preparedness and the need for insurance coverage is key to addressing the financial risks associated with major disasters. It takes a cooperative approach to ensure these messages reach community members and have an effect on their individual actions. Continued on page 12

Catastrophic Events: We’re Not Ready... Yet Continued from page 11

“How quickly the economy can get back up to speed will depend on how quickly we can rebuild,” says Corbeil. “This in turn depends on our collective financial preparedness, which includes homeowners and business owners.” “Most local governments have their own emergency plans in place and hold workshops and other activities to raise awareness about preparedness, but I also know it’s hard to keep people’s interest high over a period of time,” adds Corbeil. “In terms of financial preparedness, it’s our role in the industry and with the provincial government to remind people that the government will not pay for it all. People need to protect their financial investments in their home.”

Emergency preparedness is clearly a shared responsibility and while the warnings from recent reports are ominous, the immediate actions underway are evidence of a commitment to addressing gaps quickly with practical solutions. The cumulative result of initiatives to protect infrastructure, assist residents with personal preparedness, and improve financial preparedness will assist with the province-wide capacity to respond to and recover from a catastrophic natural disaster. The event could happen tomorrow, or next week or years in the future. The point is that it is a matter of when, not if, and that there is a coinciding imperative to ensure that communities across the province are prepared and can recover quickly. ❖

tips & tactics Emergency Preparedness Resources for Local Government Justice Institute of BC (JIBC) Training Programs

BC Hydro Community Safety Awards

The JIBC offers a number of programs relevant to local government. Leveraging these resources helps communities improve emergency preparedness, build capacity and respond effectively in emergencies.

The BC Hydro Community Safety Award provides awards of up to $2,000 to eligible communities to receive specialized emergency management training provided by the JIBC. BC Hydro generously provides these funds to increase the response capability of communities by supporting the training of first responders, employees and volunteers. For more information visit www.jibc.ca/community.

Some programs and courses are developed or delivered in partnership with Emergency Management British Columbia (EMBC). For information, visit www.jibc.ca/emergency. • Incident Command System (ICS) Training – Training for site personnel/first responders around common/standardized management models/approaches. • Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Training – Training for support personnel who will be supporting site-personnel and dealing with the broader consequence management issues that a community/organization might face following a major emergency or disaster. • Emergency Management Exercise Design Training – Training that prepares personnel to develop and deliver effective emergency management exercises. • Emergency Social Services (ESS) Training – Training to prepare a community’s ESS Team to address the immediate needs of community members displaced by emergency or disaster. • Search and Rescue – Training for rural teams that support and work in collaboration with their local government. • Specialty Emergency Management Training – Specific courses around a unique topic of interest to local government or those directly supporting emergency management: ∙ Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability Analysis (HRVA) ∙ Developing Personal Preparedness Plans ∙ Developing Emergency Management Plans ∙ Information Officer Course ∙ Community Recovery Planning ∙ Business Continuity Management

MyEM Resources JIBC Emergency Management Division established this website to post various tools that are free to communities and can help support training and response activities. Tools include training video clips, EOC forms, sample exercises, and quick reference guides. For details visit www.myemresources.com. EMBC Webinar Series for Local Government in BC JIBC and EMBC are partnering to offer free webinars related to emergency management and the effective running of Emergency Operation Centres. The Emergency Management Webinar Series provides participants with up-to-date information on emergency management best practices, approaches, strategies, and technologies; as well as individual experiences and success stories. For the schedule visit www.jibc.ca/emwebinars. Many thanks to the staff at JIBC for providing this information.

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

Response Readiness

By Therese Mickelson, ABC

for Small Communities

ot every community has a designated position for emergency management, a fully-equipped Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and sufficient resources to staff every EOC position along with back-up support. A community’s emergency response capacity often decreases with the size of the community. The challenges are evident, but the prognosis is more positive when communities leverage the resources available to build capacity and apply innovative approaches to train and assist staff during emergency response events.

VILLAGE OF QUEEN CHARLOTTE – EMERGENCY RESOURCE GUIDE In the Village of Queen Charlotte, the small organizational structure means people have to wear dual hats in an emergency and often have limited EOC training. When faced with major emergencies, such as tsunami warnings and earthquakes, this community relies on its Emergency Response and Resource Guide to provide a quick reference for how to access assistance from Emergency Management British Columbia (EMBC), key steps needed to support emergency response, how to communicate effectively to internal and external audiences, and instructions for managing evacuations. The quick-reference guide is the brainchild of Peter Weeber, Chief Administrative Officer, Village of Queen Charlotte, and it began earlier in his career as the Fire Chief and Emergency Program Manager for the City of Terrace.

Based on his experiences in Terrace, the guide included tips for internal and external communications that were helpful during the flood. Stewart had 400 residents and approximately 60 tourists stranded in the community during the event. There was no cell phone coverage or local media and there were power outages, but the staff recognized the importance of communication and the District’s Facebook page became an essential tool. Within days, their Facebook page had 700 followers.

Peter Weeber

When Weeber moved to the Village of Queen Charlotte, he brought the guide with him and continued to look at how to improve it to help his community respond to emergencies. Shortly after his arrival, there was a 7.7-magnitude earthquake along with a tsunami warning for the community, and they used the guide to help manage their communications and the emergency response. Continued on page 14

“When I was responsible for emergency management in Terrace, I found that every program came with a large binder, and I soon had an intimidating shelf of binders, so I started to pull the key information out of each binder as a quick-reference guide for myself,” says Weeber. “I also realized that we did not have a lot of people to work in the EOC, and even those with a designated role did not have much training or experience, so I started with a one-page reference guide for us to use, and it evolved from there.” Weeber notes that the 2007 Skeena River flood was the first major test of their emergency response capacity, and he found that there were key challenges in internal and external communications, administration and understanding how to work within the Emergency Management BC system to support response operations. Working with Rosanna von Sacken, Advanced Consulting and Facilitation Inc., Weeber expanded the guide to address these areas. Even with the updates, the focus was still on pulling key points and tips to keep the guide brief but informative. When he left Terrace to work for the District of Stewart, he brought his guide with him and found it was even more important for the small community. “There were only five of us, so we had even less capacity than Terrace, and one of my first steps for preparedness was to do some training using the quick-reference guide I had developed,” says Weeber. “Within a couple of weeks of the training, we had a major flood event, and with the guide, a group of minimally-trained folks were able to manage the event over 14 days.” Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

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Response Readiness for Small Communities Continued from page 13

“After the earthquake, I wanted to take the guide to the next evolution to add more tips and information around how to communicate effectively in a crisis, but I couldn’t find anything out there that would support this type of quick reference,” says Weeber. Weeber connected with Therese Mickelson, Mickelson Consulting Inc., to refine the guide and add steps and tactics to address crisis communication for staff, the community and the media. In its current form, the guide continues to work as a quick reference for employees who have to wear dual hats, with a focus on addressing the essentials in an emergency: safety and staying in contact with the community and following Emergency Management BC procedures. “You can’t prevent a disaster, but you can provide effective communication with a little planning,” says Weeber. “Small communities recognize there are limits to what we can do with limited capacity. But they do expect us to keep them informed, so it all comes down to communication and understanding the provincial systems in place to support your community during a crisis.” As outlined in the guide, Weeber has established key notification and communication tactics that they implement immediately in an emergency. There is a Village of Queen Charlotte Emergency Network Facebook page and a partnership with CFNR radio to send out live broadcasts. The Village also sends out messaging on its Marine 6 boat channel. As a result, the community knows where to go for updates in an emergency.

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By using the guide and setting up communication arrangements in advance, the Village is maximizing the capacity of its community and ensuring staff have the information needed to respond quickly and access additional support and resources. Capacity-based planning is focused on providing the most critical information and support in an easy-to-read and understandable format. The Emergency Response Resources Guide has evolved into an amazing response and training tool.

BUILDING CAPACITY IN SPARWOOD Capacity building is a key element when focusing on the importance of emergency preparedness in the District of Sparwood. The result is a coordinated response where staff members understand their roles and are able to implement their emergency plan effectively. “When I started my tenure at the District of Sparwood, I realized that the District, much like other small communities, hadn’t built an enhanced capacity for emergency response and preparedness within our staff, and bigger picture, within our organization,” says Raeleen Manjak, Director of Corporate Services and Emergency Program Coordinator, District of Sparwood. “There wasn’t a real, on-the-ground understanding and commitment to emergency management, so I first had to work with our senior team to gain their commitment, and then I contacted EMBC to help facilitate training offerings locally.” Working with the course offerings through EMBC, the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC) and with the Elk Valley/South Country Emergency Management Committee, the District started with training in the fundamentals of emergency operations, including increasing understanding about emergency planning, how the British Columbia Emergency Response System (BCERMS) is used, and the role of an EOC in supporting emergency response. This provided a foundation of training and gave staff a good understanding of the framework and the roles and responsibilities of government. From there, the District arranged for training in the JIBC’s EOC Essentials, including details on how an EOC operates, such as what each section does and how the organizational structure works. The District also improved its capacity to respond to emergencies by developing its Emergency Social Services (ESS) program, including recruiting an ESS Director who has further developed the ESS team and participates in the District’s emergency planning exercises. “This training started to create an energy and momentum around why we need to train, why we need to keep current, and why we need to be fully engaged around emergency preparedness,” says Manjak. “We were well into the capacity-building by the time the flood of 2013 occurred, and having this initial training meant everything in terms of how effective we were able to be when the flooding occurred last year. When everyone heard that there would be an EOC activation for the region, our staff understood what that meant and what their role was.” Since then, Sparwood has been very active in tabletop exercises and is continuing to work with the regional Emergency Management Committee, EMBC and the JIBC to facilitate training in Sparwood. Their next training will be EOC Level 3 for Operations, Planning, Logistics and Finance, and Manjak notes that the next focus area will likely be crisis communication. Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

“We are committed, focused, and determined to be a leader in emergency planning in our area, and I think we’re getting there,” says Manjak. “We’re certainly more robust than we were two years ago, but I don’t think you ever get there completely. These skills need to be nurtured, refreshed and practiced as part of an ongoing commitment to being prepared.”

LEVERAGING TRAINING THROUGH JIBC Emergency management is a unique discipline with unique processes, which means training is essential. Multiple resources available for communities of all sizes are available through EMBC and JIBC, including training, reference materials, templates and emergency exercise support. When it comes to preparing local governments through training, EMBC and JIBC work together Pete Learoyd to deliver emergency management, emergency social services, and search and rescue training across B.C. “When I look at the role the Justice Institute plays, I’d say our role is to help communities prepare for a catastrophic event and other emergencies, and we do that through training on best practices and processes in emergency management,” says Pete Learoyd, Program

Director, JIBC. “A well-trained community is better able to help the people who can’t help themselves.” Learoyd notes that an added benefit is the training brings together local government employees and other agencies from across the province. This provides for consistency in emergency management and helps people build a network for sharing ideas and experiences. “Often, when we’re approached for the first time by a government, the first thing they learn is what they don’t know,” says Darren Blackburn, Program Manager, Emergency Management and Exercise Design, JIBC. “And they can’t necessarily jump in and build a full-fledged emergency plan in a day – or even a year – so we break down our training into individual areas and skill sets to help them build that expertise.” The training not only supports essential emergency management skills, it also provides a consistent approach to processes. This ensures better interoperability when multiple agencies are involved in a response, and it makes it easier for responders to work together with administration. In addition to courses around the four pillars of emergency management – prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery – the JIBC offers two certificate programs (Emergency Management Certificate and Emergency Management Exercise Design Certificate) and a degree program (bachelors of emergency and security studies) for those interested in professional development and formal credentials. Continued on page 16

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Response Readiness for Small Communities Continued from page 15

One key asset for smaller communities is the partnership between JIBC and EMBC. Through this partnership, JIBC delivers courses in communities across the province, including remote areas where there are smaller communities. EMBC funds the delivery of these JIBC courses, which means that the training is accessible to a larger number of personnel as it is delivered in local areas rather than requiring participants travel to JIBC campuses.

support to local governments when and as needed. If an emergency event escalates, so does the level of support, including activation of a Provincial Regional Emergency Operations Centre (PREOC). A key area of emergency response support from EMBC is financial assistance. The first step is to get a Task Number assigned. This does not guarantee funding assistance, but it is required for submitting requests for financial support that may be available for approved expenses. EMBC also has a 24-hour contact in place to provide assistance, including acting as a liaison to access experts and other specialized resources.

Darren Blackburn

“Training improves the resiliency of a community, making it easier for them to get through a pretty terrible day without going off the rails, but it’s just a starting point,” says Blackburn. “You start with training, then you hold exercises, then you respond to emergencies, and then you debrief after exercises and activations. It’s a continuous cycle, and we get better as we train and make continuous improvements.”

LEVERAGING RESOURCES THROUGH EMBC EMBC’s funding of training across the province is just one example of how it supports local government emergency management. The Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC) operates 24/7 to provide

As an example, if there is a landslide and there is a continued risk of slope instability, EMBC can help secure or fund the hiring of a geomorphologist or hydrologist. If roads and bridges are affected by a flood, EMBC can connect the community to experts and resources from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. EMBC can also act as a liaison to help connect multiple local governments involved in emergencies. For catastrophic events, EMBC is the liaison to connect local governments to the provincial and federal resources available. Whatever the emergency may be, EMBC is set up to support the local community response, not by getting directly involved, but instead, by connecting them to the people, organizations and finances they need to be effective. ❖

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

HIGH RIVER Recovering from Catastrophe

Sprung structures have been critical to the flood recovery process in High River, Alberta.

By Therese Mickelson, ABC

isaster strikes. When you think the challenge is over, it’s actually just begun. As the Town of High River, Alberta has learned, recovering from a major disaster is physically and mentally exhausting. It places extraordinary pressures on staff and the community, and the demands are unceasing in the months following a catastrophic event. But the recovery process can also be extremely rewarding.

In June 2013, flood waters rushed through the Town of High River, with little warning and devastating impacts. The entire town was evacuated, involving approximately 5,500 homes, and 70 per cent of the buildings were damaged. Tragically, three people lost their lives and the majority of the residents were displaced. Businesses were shut down and infrastructure throughout the town was damaged. The evacuation and emergency response to protect lives lasted days. The recovery is expected to take four years.

James Thackray

“It’s almost indescribable to watch water coming at you that just doesn’t stop. The unbelievable courage of our staff trying to get out of harm’s way brings tears. Some almost lost their lives saving others and trying to save themselves,” says James Thackray, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Town of High River. “I’m incredibly proud of all of them. They went through hell and back, and they’re still here even though many of them could have walked away at any time.”

The continued progress and positive atmosphere in High River today is due in large part to the comprehensive recovery process that has put people first, including staff, residents and business operators. The response teams quickly dealt with safety issues, followed by critical infrastructure such as water and sewer systems to provide a safe water supply. Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

The next step was to look at the broader recovery plan, and a number of key areas were addressed, including support for employees and the community, businesses continuity measures, infrastructure repair and replacement, and flood mitigation improvements. As the CAO, Thackray recognized early that they would need help and quickly called for assistance. Continued on page 18

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High River: Recovering from Catastrophe Continued from page 17

The first critical assistance came from the Government of Alberta, which provided access to resources and expertise and deposited $50 million in the Town’s account to help get recovery started. The next key step was to recruit help from other municipalities and from experts who would help with the recovery process. “It’s been a bit of controlled chaos,” says Doug Holmes of Douglas Holmes Consulting, who is providing services to High River as a Director of Renewal Operations. “We focus on identifying gaps and filling those service needs as quickly as possible, because overlap may be inefficient, but gaps are ineffective and that’s something we all want to avoid.”

“It’s been a bit of controlled chaos. We focus on identifying gaps and filling those service needs as quickly as possible.” Taking care of Town employees and community members has been a priority from the start. Many of the Town employees’ homes were also affected by the flooding, which meant they were working long shifts and then returning to deal with their own damage from flooding. “It’s really important to get people together, make sure everyone is okay and make sure their families are okay because when they come to work, they’re thinking about their families first,” says Thackray. “You also need to be continually watchful for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD) as people may get hit with it months after the event. We’ve put everyone through training on critical incident stress, and we’ve put great emphasis on our employee care program and have regular debriefings with all our teams.”

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Thackray and Rob Roycroft, Deputy CAO, also supported staff by hiring additional help quickly, making sure people get time off regularly to ensure they have a break before they burn out, and by providing weekly “lunch and learns” to answer questions and hear concerns. Programs and mechanisms are then promptly put in place to address those concerns, although sometimes that may be difficult when resources are scarce. The sessions also helped the rapidlyexpanded staff work together as a team, as new people were able to mix quickly with existing employees. The staff complement at the Town of High River has grown in multiple areas – five times normal levels in some service areas. The safety codes (building inspection) service team went from two people to about 10-plus contract inspectors due to the number of renovations needed and related building permits. The safety codes department issued as many permits in three to four months as they had in the previous 10 years. The Government of Alberta set up temporary housing, which meant that the Town needed more firefighters and equipment. The Human Resources department had to be expanded to manage the recruitment of additional staff, and a temporary Town Hall was established by quickly arranging for a number of ATCO trailers. “The corporate services team did an unbelievable job under hazardous circumstances in very short order,” says Thackray. The Town also set up a Renewal Office, which includes a Human Impact Services group to assist residents. Homeowners are responsible for making the arrangements to clean up their homes and property, but there are multiple agencies available to help. Organizations like Habitat for Humanity, the Red Cross, Mennonite Disaster Service and Samaritan’s Purse along with the local churches are in the community providing supplies and support, and the Town recognized that it could play a key role in connecting residents to these relief services. Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

The Human Impact Services caseworkers work closely with community members to connect them with the social services available. The human element of communication has been critical throughout the response and recovery period. The personal interactions through the Human Impact Services team are essential, as are the ongoing efforts to provide progress updates. A call centre was activated early in the emergency, and the Town holds regular open houses to provide residents with an opportunity to ask questions about the recovery and mitigation work underway. The Mayor also does a YouTube video update, which is about eight minutes long and provides information on what’s going on in the community. There is also a Town Crier newsletter and dedicated Flood Renewal and Resources page on the Town’s website with updates on all things related to the flood, including how the community is getting back to normal. As people began the work to restore their homes, the other critical step was to instill their confidence in the Town’s ability to manage this type of disaster in the future. The Town has updated its municipal emergency management plan and built a multi-layered call-out system for notification to residents, businesses Doug Holmes and emergency responders. They are exercising the plan and are communicating with residents to provide them with information on how to prepare individually, including an emergency preparedness guide that was delivered to every home, and an emergency preparedness expo in May, where emergency responders set up displays. “We have a flood season every year in Alberta and being prepared is an important part of building confidence in our community,” says Holmes. Part of this confidence also comes from the extensive flood mitigation work underway. The Town, in partnership with the Government of Alberta, currently has approximately $102 million in mitigation projects in progress, and it is estimated that the cost could reach $200 million. A key part of the mitigation work is the construction of just under seven kilometres of dykes to protect the town from future flooding. Depending on underlying ground elevations, the dykes need to be up to three metres high and nine metres wide – wider than most residential streets – and have required some property acquisition and the removal of an entire neighbourhood of 107 properties. “It was doubtful that we could find a way to protect those properties, because with the dyking and redirected water, the area would see much higher levels – but it was still a very hard decision,” says Holmes. “We held some very difficult meetings, and the Mayor was very empathetic as he delivered those tough messages.”

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

In addition to the mitigation work, the Town is faced with extensive damage to its infrastructure. Given the amount of repair and replacement in the downtown area, the Town saw an opportunity to implement a downtown revitalization. A fast-tracked community planning exercise was implemented, and a new plan is now in place. “We know you usually take a lot longer to do a community plan, but what we didn’t want was to dig up all our streets to replace pipes, and then dig them all up again in the near future to complete the downtown revitalization that had been planned,” says Holmes. Continued on page 20

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High River: Recovering from Catastrophe Continued from page 19

“So we compressed the time frame and phase one of construction of the newly configured downtown, and infrastructure replacement is now underway.” Holmes estimates that it will take about four or five years to complete all of the reconstruction of the Town. The key operational areas are in place, but there are a lot of roads that need significant work, storm ponds that need to be drained, dredged and refilled as part of fully clearing away flood debris, and clean-up and repairs in parks and open spaces. The Town is also evaluating the sewer system as there are a lot of damaged pipes. Despite the timeframe for full reconstruction, the Town moved quickly to support businesses and keep its economy on track. One of the first critical steps Roycroft and Thackray took early in the recovery process was to set up a temporary business park downtown. “The business park meant that businesses could get back up and running, including everything from restaurants to a barber shop. And for some, I think the difference between reopening a business in High River or closing down for good was due to their ability to reopen for business quickly and keep revenue coming in while repairing their buildings,” says Thackray. Workspace, community programming space and a temporary location for the library were also needed. To provide these, the Town arranged for two Sprung structures totaling just under 20,000 square feet of space on a lot that was leased to the Town by a developer for $1.

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Almost seven kilometres of dykes have been constructed to protect High River from future floods.

The insulated structures have flooring, heating and cooling, can be divided into work areas and can be moved as needed. There was an additional non-heated, 6,000-square-foot structure set up for storage and a separate washroom building. “We went from an empty field in August to fully-operational facilities in just nine weeks,” says Holmes. Another business support challenge that the town is currently working on is the need for rental housing. With so little rental housing available after the flood, employers are finding it difficult to find people for jobs like fast food restaurant staff. The Town is working with Alberta Housing to explore options, including the feasibility of relocating a number of existing townhouses in the neighbourhood being cleared due to flood mitigation work. The Town is also working with local business owners to review economic development opportunities through roundtable discussions about where the community is strong and where it has some challenges. The input is being used to create an economic development plan with recommendations on what the community can do to prosper in the future. Looking back on the past year, it’s evident that there have been some exceptional successes and some incredible challenges, but High River is holding its community together as it rebuilds and recovers from the devastation last year. “One thing that amazes me is the resilience of the people themselves,” says Holmes. “The vast majority have been very positive, saying ‘We’ll get through this,’ and there are lots of stories of people walking away from their homes through hip-deep water, with their kids in their arms, and yet they’re saying ‘Well, we’re all together, and we’re all safe’ – and ultimately, that’s what matters.” Thackray echoes this sentiment. “I’m most grateful to the people I’ve worked with – our staff, Council, the province, other municipalities and the incredible volunteers that have been there with us from the start,” says Thackray. “Things like this push you to the brink and beyond what you think you can do. It makes you very humble and very grateful for all of the amazing support that pours in.” Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

“One thing that amazes me is the resilience of the people themselves. The vast majority have been very positive, saying ‘We’ll get through this.’” Lessons Learned: Successes and Advice from High River Both Holmes and Thackray have advice to share based on their experiences, in the hopes that what they have learned will help other communities facing recovery from a catastrophic event. • Be prepared. Revisit your emergency plans and make sure your employees know what to do in an emergency. This is not just your EOC team; it includes understanding the plan for your buildings and your employees, and how to connect with them when they are dispersed and there is a breakdown in the communication infrastructure. • Make sure that your senior and technical people have the support they need. Assess what you think you will need, then triple it. You will need to have enough resources to virtually clone each position, because working seven days a week, 15 hours a day for months on end takes its toll, and there is tremendous risk of burn out. Build Memorandums of Understanding with other municipalities to pull in people with similar emergency response experience to add to your redundancies for back-up, and use your networks to find additional expertise early and as needed. • Make sure your people get time off. Give everyone some time off when the most critical emergency response is over, and then make sure people take regular breaks and vacations. You just can’t work at an intense pace for a prolonged time. You reach the point of diminishing returns. It’s hard to tell someone they have to go and take some time off, especially if they don’t see that they are at the breaking point, but it’s critical. • Practice your plan together. Hold a live exercise with other municipalities to help people be more comfortable working together. The more you can practice together, the better. Aim to conduct a live exercise every year. • Never underestimate the complexity of the situation. Emergency situations get very tricky, really quickly. The faster a CAO can bring people in and apply ingenuity and creativity, the faster the recovery can get started. • Stay connected with your Council. Council members may get dispersed in an evacuation, which makes it extremely difficult to contact them for key decisions and to provide updates. It’s also important to ensure the Council is supporting the Mayor and working effectively with other levels of government, as staff can’t deal with major disasters without their support.

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• Relax some of your regulations and policies. The priority is to help people rebuild and recover quickly, so keep the big picture in mind when it comes to enforcement. For example, if your community has a regulation banning recreational vehicles from parking on the streets, relax it. Allow residents to park RVs in front of their house and live there for three months – it will help keep them in the community. • Communicate regularly. Use multiple tactics to keep the community and employees informed about what is happening, what is being planned and where they can go for information and resources. • Be ready for the unexpected. Accept that many things will not go as planned or exercised, but by applying the basics of your emergency plan and placing good people with good training in key positions, they’ll know what to do or will be able to figure out a solution. People also need to be ready to be flexible, as sometimes it seems like there is a clear next step, until other priorities move in that require changes to the plan. ❖

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Addressing Your Questions: What’s Happening with the Municipal Pension Plan? By Diana Lokken Most of the time, thoughts about what happens after retirement are not top of mind. Local government employees know about the Municipal Pension Plan (MPP), and they receive statements annually to remind them about their individual status. There has also been a consistent message over the years: the Municipal Pension Plan is healthy and secure and growing in membership. That hasn’t changed, but there have been an increasing number of questions about MPP. First, while there have been stories and articles in the media that suggest pension plans are not able to fund the needs of their members, this is not the case for the MPP. On the positive side, recent investment returns have been good, but increasing longevity of members means more money is required to pay pensions for longer periods of time. Every three years the MPP undertakes an actuarial valuation to determine if there are enough assets to meet the pension promise. An actuarial valuation is all about finding long-term balance between plan assets (money the plan has or is expected to receive) and liabilities (money the plan is paying out or expects to pay out). This results in an estimate on the money required to fulfill the pension promise for all members. An independent actuary reviews the Plan’s assets and liabilities as well as demographic and investment trends. This determines whether the Plan expects to have more money than it needs or less than it needs. When the actuarial valuation calculation determines there is not enough money (today or projected to come to the plan) to pay for the total amount of money the Plan is paying out or expects to pay out, that shortfall is called the unfunded liability. The 2012 actuarial valuation determined that the plan is 96.5 per cent funded, with an unfunded liability of $1,370 million. There are two primary reasons for this – investment returns were lower than expected in the previous three years and members are living longer. To address that shortfall, the contribution rate is being increased by 1.4 per cent, split equally by employers and members at 0.7 per cent of salary beginning July 2014. This will ensure that members will continue to receive their full pension benefits, and the MPP will return to a fullyfunded position. As well, there are changes to MPP rules that came into force March 31, 2014 regarding increased options for beneficiaries. Please see the News section at mpp.pensionsbc.ca for details.

Answers to your questions: What is done about cost of living adjustments? As part of the Plan’s governance framework, the basic pension promise and the non-guaranteed cost-of-living adjustments are paid from completely separate accounts. Each year, the Board considers all relevant factors to determine whether to grant a cost-of-living adjustment. Inflation protection is currently not sustainable in the existing model. The Board and Plan Partners will continue to discuss options to provide an inflation benefit that is sustainable.

How safe is my pension? Each member’s pension is pre-funded which ensures that the funding is in place when members retire. This assurance is thanks to the fact that the MPP is designed to ensure each generation pays in advance for its own pension benefits. This is different than some other pensions that are set up as “pay as you go” such as those in Europe, where one generation is contributing to another generation’s pension. As well, by completing regular actuarial valuations, the MPP Trustees are able to take prompt action to adjust contribution levels as needed to ensure MPP remains fully funded.

How is the Plan funded? Approximately 75 per cent of the total cost of pensions is paid out from investment income. Contributions are generally paid 50 per cent by the employers and 50 per cent by employees, and all increased rates are split 50/50. Sound investments are ensuring secure and dependable retirement income, not increasing taxpayer contributions.

Diana Lokken is a Local Government Excluded Trustee with the Municipal Pension Plan Board of Trustees

It’s also worth noting that the Conference Board of Canada was engaged to assess the economic impact of British Columbia’s public sector pension plans. Their report concluded that these pension plans provide a substantial incremental benefit to the provincial and local economy. They identified that, annually, MPP members save more than typical RRSP savers. The resulting pensions are higher due to these higher contributions. Retirees spend more in B.C. communities, resulting in an estimated 8,000 more jobs, more capital available for investment, and $2 billion in annual economic benefit. The full report is available at mpp.pensionsbc.ca. Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

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Lee-Ann Crane Chief Administrative Officer Regional District of East Kootenay Leader in legislative reform and advocate on behalf of local government interests to ensure a practical and comprehensive local government elections system Trainer of hundreds of local government election officials throughout British Columbia Long-standing LGMA member and active contributor in a variety of volunteer roles, including MATI Foundations faculty Serves on the provincial Independent Panel on Internet Voting Fundraises for rural reading centres Active on the Board of Directors for the Cranbrook & District Community Foundation Former board member Friends of Fort Steele Society Former member of the College of the Rockies Business Administration Advisory Committee Beloved wife and proud aunt Avid hockey fan (Go Kootenay Ice!)

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Heather Svensen, Corporate Administrator Town of Qualicum Beach (formerly Deputy Corporate Administrator, Town of Qualicum Beach) Katrina Leckovic, Chief Administrative Officer, District of Wells (formerly Town of Antigonish, Nova Scotia)

RETIREMENTS Fred Banham, Chief Administrative Officer, Peace River Regional District Gary Champagne, Chief Administrative Officer, District of Wells Isabel Gordon, Director of Finance, City of North Vancouver Maryann Manual, City Clerk, City of Burnaby Rick Page, City Clerk, City of New Westminster Paulette Vetleson, Director, Board & Information Services, Metro Vancouver Regional District

LGMA 2014 PROGRAMS & EVENTS August 10-15, 2014 MATI Foundations University of Victoria September 10-12, 2014 Thompson Okanagan LGMA Chapter Meeting Walnut Beach Resort, Osoyoos October 1-3, 2014 Administrative Professionals Conference Radisson Vancouver Airport, Richmond October 5-10, 2014 MATI Community Planning in Local Government Organizations Lake Okanagan Resort October 15-17, 2014 Clerks and Corporate Officers Forum Four Points by Sheraton, Kelowna Airport October 19-24, 2014 MATI School for Statutory Approving Officers South Thompson Inn, Kamloops

RELATED ORGANIZATIONS PROGRAMS & EVENTS September 3-5, 2014 Alberta Rural Municipal Administratorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association (ARMAA) Annual Conference Drumheller, AB September 14-17, 2014 International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Annual Conference Charlotte/Mecklenburg County, NC September 16-18, 2014 Local Government Administrators of the NWT (LGANT) Annual Conference Yellowknife, NWT September 22-26, 2014 Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Annual Convention Whistler, BC

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Certificate in Local Government Service Delivery:

SPECIAL RECOGNITION Board of Examiners Five local government employees, recognized for their education and work experience in the local government field, are being awarded Certificates by the Board of Examiners.

• Sylvia Foot, Buyer, City of Prince George • Erin Hayman, Executive Assistant, District of Peachland • Leonora Kneller, Corporate Administrative Assistant, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality • Joan Ogden, Administrative Assistant, Town of Ladysmith • Matthew Thomson, Application Specialist – Network, Regional District of Fraser-Fort George

OUR TOWN: CITY OF FORT ST. JOHN Located at mile 47 on the world famous Alaska Highway, Fort St. John is a rapidly growing city with one of the youngest populations in Canada. We have a long history that starts way back in 1794 when the North West Trading Company established a trading post and supply depot here near the banks of the Peace River. Though our city changed locations a few times early on, our current location was established in 1923 and is now about six kilometres from the river.

Moira Green

You probably know us best as a natural resource economy for our extraction of natural gas. We are surrounded by worldfamous shale gas fields that are feeding the North American liquefied natural gas (LNG) demand, and we have become industry leaders in natural gas extraction. We are also in very close proximity to the proposed Site C Clean Energy Project, metallurgical coal mines, several wind farms, and traditional oil extraction, which started back in the 1950s. We may be well known for our energy industry, but we offer so much more. Our economy includes forestry, construction, mining, tourism and agriculture. Most people don’t know that the Fort St. John region produces 90 per cent of the grain crops in British Columbia, including high yields of canola and fescue. At the end of July, our picturesque prairie landscape is a flood of yellow when the canola is in bloom. It is a beautiful sight to see. The energy of our city is not just found in our workforce. We like to say living here is “all about the lifestyle.” In Fort St. John we play as hard as we work, and our residents enjoy the abundance of recreational opportunities available year-round. Our recreation facilities include an extensive trail system, sports fields, golf courses, an aquatic centre, multiple ice surfaces, an indoor soccer pitch as well as numerous community sports clubs. Residents and visitors alike flock to the wilderness of the region and can be found down trails and along rivers in every season. In 2010, we opened a state-of-the-art recreation facility named the Pomeroy Sport Centre. This multi-sport facility features two NHL-sized ice surfaces on the ground flood, an Olympic-sized long-track speed skating oval on the second level, and an indoor running track on the third level.

There’s more to Fort St. John than its natural resource economy. The city’s residents play as hard as they work, enjoying an abundance of recreational opportunities and a thriving cultural scene.

The facility also houses the PacificSport Northern BC Training Centre and the innovative Energetic Learning Campus in partnership with School District 60, where grade 10 students learn through project-based studies and make use of the sport facility as part of their daily routines. Arts and culture thrive in the city centre where you can find the Fort St. John North Peace Museum, North Peace Cultural Centre, theatres, an art gallery and a local farmers’ market. We celebrate winter with the High on Ice festival, which features an international ice carving competition, pond hockey tournament, ice slides and other exciting activities for families. In the summer many community events take place around town such as Movie in the Park, Canada Day celebrations and the Fall Fair. Fort St. John is a vibrant and welcoming community. It is the energy of our people that drives our community and makes us a great place to live or visit. Find out more about our city at www.fortstjohn.ca. – Moira Green, Economic Development Officer, City of Fort St. John

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

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