By Canadian Press

"No Consistency"

Auditor says Alberta’s disaster risk assessment plan in poor shape

Sep 29, 2020 | 5:59 PM

EDMONTON – Alberta’s auditor general says the province does a poor job of anticipating and preparing for disasters.

In a report released this morning, Doug Wylie says Alberta doesn’t have a consistent plan for evaluating the risk the province faces from disasters such as floods or wildfires.

He says the government began preparing one in 2014. But the effort floundered after different ministries couldn’t agree on the severity of the risks posed by different hazards.

“A province-wide hazard assessment system is a key building block for an effective provincial emergency management system,” Wylie said. “It can help the government make informed, province-wide decisions on funding, policies, and other planning and mitigation strategies.”

Wylie also found that many local municipalities have large gaps in their hazard assessments and many don’t have a risk assessment at all.

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Wylie points out factors such as climate change are increasing disaster risks in Alberta.

“The COVID-19 pandemic shows us the cascading effects that a disaster can have on our lives,” noted Wylie. “It reinforces why an effective, integrated provincial hazard assessment system is critical to helping the government, prepare, respond and recover from disasters and emergencies.”