TAMRMS#: B06
4.1
REQUEST FOR DECISION
title
St. Albert Community Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) Update
Presented by: Mark Pickford, Manager of Emergency Management (DEM) Emergency Management Branch
label
RECOMMENDED MOTION(S)
recommendation
That the Emergency Advisory Committee (the “Committee”) recommend to Council that the updated Community Emergency Management Plan (“CEMP 2025”), attached to this report, be approved.
body
SUMMARY
The Community Emergency Management Plan is the City's authoritative guide for preparing, responding to, and recovering from emergencies. The City is required to review its Community Emergency Management Plan at least once per year, pursuant to the Emergency Management Act (the “Act”) and associated regulations, namely the Local Authority Emergency Management Regulation, Alta Reg 203/2018 (the “Emergency Regulation”).
Administration is bringing forward recommended updates to the Community Emergency Management Plan for the Committee’s review before the updated Community Emergency Management Plan is presented to Council for approval.
The Emergency Regulation was recently amended. This amendment requires the City to add a mitigation strategy and evacuation plan to its Community Emergency Management Plan. CEMP 2025 addresses these new requirements. CEMP 2025 also:
(a) introduces structured activation protocols and formalized training;
(b) clarifies responsibilities across all levels of leadership and response;
(c) includes Business Continuity Planning, Emergency Social Services, and a four-tier Incident Command structure; and
(d) improves readiness, accountability, and compliance, enabling coordinated response to increasingly complex emergencies
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL DIRECTION OR MANDATORY STATUTORY PROVISION
Emergency Management Act
The City’s Emergency Management Agency (established under the City’s Emergency Management Bylaw 04/2020) is required to review the CEMP at least once per year under section 5 of the Act:
Review of emergency plans
5(1) A local authority’s emergency management agency must review the emergency plan that applies to that local authority at least once per year.
Council has the ultimate authority to approve CEMP 2025 under Section 11(b) of the Act which states:
Municipal emergency organization
11 A local authority
….
(b) shall approve emergency plans and programs, subject to the regulations;
…
Local Authority Emergency Management Regulation, Alta Reg 203/2018
Section 5 of the Emergency Regulation requires the City’s Emergency Management Agency review the City’s emergency plan at least once per year.
The Emergency Regulation sets out the requirements for the City’s Emergency Management Plan as follows:
Emergency plan requirements
4(1) A local authority’s emergency plan must include
…
(d) a hazard and risk assessment,
(d.1) a mitigation strategy respecting hazards and risks identified in the assessment referred to in clause (d),
…
(n) the local authority’s plan, with identified evacuation routes, destinations and the means to communicate evacuation notifications, for the evacuation of persons from an area that is or may be affected by a disaster.
(2) If a local authority’s emergency plan does not include a mitigation strategy referred to in subsection (1)(d.1), the local authority must, within 2 years of the coming into force of this subsection, include a mitigation strategy referred to in subsection (1)(d.1) in its emergency plan.
(3) If a local authority’s emergency plan does not include a plan for the evacuation of persons from the area referred to in subsection (1)(n), the local authority must, within 2 years of the coming into force of this subsection, include a plan for the evacuation of persons from the area referred to in subsection (1)(n) in its emergency plan.
City’s Emergency Management 04/2020 Bylaw
Under subsection 31.d. of the City’s Emergency Management Bylaw 04/2020 (the “Emergency Bylaw”), the City’s Emergency Management Agency (established under the Emergency Bylaw) must “review and update the Emergency Management Plan and programs at least once annually and anytime conditions arise or there is an opportunity for improvement of the Emergency Management Plan.”
Under subsection 8.a. of the Emergency Bylaw, the Committee is responsible for “[advising] Council annually regarding the development of the Emergency Management Plan and related programs.”
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
CEMP 2025 is a comprehensive, updated framework for how the City manages emergency preparedness, response, and recovery. If approved, it would replace the existing version which was last updated in 2023.
Changes to the Community Emergency Management Plan are aimed at ensuring compliance with provincial emergency legislation as well as enhancing alignment with national and provincial emergency standards, such as the National Fire Protection Association 1660, Alberta Incident Management System, and Canadian Standards Association Z1600.
Key Features of the CEMP 2025:
1. Compliance with Provincial Legislation: New mitigation strategy and evacuation plan were added as required under the recently amended Emergency Regulation.
2. National and provincial emergency standards: Enhances alignment with national and provincial emergency standards including NFPA 1660, AIMS, LEMR, and CSA/NFPA standards.
3. Strategic Structure: Separates Core Plan, Reference Documents, and Operational Annexes.
4. Expanded Roles: Includes specific responsibilities for Council, EAC, Director of Emergency Management, and command and general staff.
5. Incident Command Post Activation Levels: Introduces a four-tiered Incident Command Post Emergency Coordination Center model to scale responses based on incident complexity.
6. Integrated Emergency Social Services: Emergency Social Services are now formally embedded into activation protocols and follow provincial standards of care.
7. Centralized Communications: Establishes Director of Emergency Management as the authority on public messaging with safeguards for clarity and communication fatigue.
8. Training & Exercises: Codifies core curriculum (ICS 100-300), annual exercises, and post-incident after-action reviews.
9. Operational Annexes: Adds Business Continuity, Hazard-specific plans, and Recovery Planning.
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS OR ENGAGEMENT
Internal stakeholder engagement occurred through Legal Services, Emergency Services, after-action reviews from 2024 to 2025, the Emergency Management Branch's annual exercise, and the Corporate Leadership Team. No public consultation was required.
IMPACTS OF RECOMMENDATION(S)
Strategic Alignment
1. Positions the City as a leader in emergency preparedness and aligns with provincial legislation, updated best practices, and national standards (e.g., NFPA 1660, CSA Z1600).
2. Strengthens the City’s ability to plan, respond, and recover from complex emergencies, supporting long-term strategic priorities and community resilience.
Operational Readiness
1. Establishes a clearly defined four-level Incident Command Post activation model, enabling faster, more appropriate scaling of resources during emergencies.
2. Enhances coordination between departments and agencies through structured roles and responsibilities.
Compliance & Legal:
1. The City’s emergency management plan must meet the minimum requirements set out in the Act and Emergency Regulation. Updates to the City’s emergency plan are needed to address the new requirements for a mitigation strategy and evacuation plan set out in the recently amended Emergency Regulation.
2. CEMP 2025 adds a mitigation strategy and evacuation plan to the City’s emergency plan bringing it into alignment with minimum statutory requirements.
Program or Service:
1. Improves coordination, transparency, and preparedness.
2. Formalizes emergency training requirements (ICS 100-300, position-specific), increasing organizational competence and confidence.
3. Strengthens internal protocols, reduces role ambiguity, and supports interdepartmental cohesion during emergency activations.
4. Enhance clarity of emergency response roles. May require administrative updates and training that temporarily affect service continuity.
Public Confidence and Transparency
1. Reinforces public trust through clear communications protocols, centralized messaging authority under the Director of Emergency Management, and an annual review process.
2. Promotes transparency and accountability in the City’s approach to public safety.
ALIGNMENT TO PRIORITIES IN COUNCIL’S STRATEGIC PLAN
Initiative aligned with Strategic Plan:
Safe, Resilient Community
ALIGNMENT TO LEVELS OF SERVICE DELIVERY
F.1.1 Emergency Plan Management
Provincial legislation and regulation requires the City of St. Albert to maintain Emergency Management plans and programs. This service addresses preparation, approval, maintenance and coordination of local authority emergency plans and programs required by the province. Emergency Management plans and programs are intended to provide prompt coordination of the City’s resources when consequences of an emergency or disaster and subsequent recovery are outside the scope of normal operations.
IMPACTS OF ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
If the Committee does not want to proceed with the recommended motion, the following alternatives could be considered:
ALTERNATIVE 1: Provide input to be incorporated into CEMP 2025 before recommending it to Council for approval.
ALTERNATIVE 2: Do nothing.
If the Committee does not recommend CEMP 2025 to Council and Council does not approve the same, then the City would continue to operate under the previous version of the plan, which lacks alignment with current requirements under the Emergency Regulation, updated best practices, and enhanced operational frameworks.
Financial:
Alternative 2: By maintaining an outdated emergency management plan, the City may be perceived by insurance providers as having a weaker risk management posture. This perception could result in higher premiums, reduced coverage, or limited eligibility for certain municipal insurance programs. Additionally, the absence of clear, modernized processes could lead to increased financial liability in the event of a poorly managed emergency response or recovery effort.
Compliance & Legal:
Alternative 2: Under the Emergency Regulation the City has a 2-year transition period to update its Community Emergency Management Plan to include a mitigation strategy and evacuation plan. Updates will need to be made by May 31, 2027, to comply with provincial emergency legislation.
Program or Service:
Alternative 2: Relying on an outdated emergency plan can cause confusion during emergencies, where clear roles, activation steps, and communication protocols are crucial. Delays or mistakes from unclear procedures may directly impact on the quality and timeliness of services provided to residents. It also undermines community trust in the City’s ability to protect public safety and respond effectively to emerging risks.
Organizational:
Alternative 2:
• Strategic: Continuing to use an outdated emergency management plan undermines the City's goal of maintaining a safe and resilient community. Without aligning to modern emergency management standards and best practices, the city risks falling behind in its preparedness, reducing its ability to respond to increasingly complex and dynamic emergencies. This weakens the City's overall resilience strategy and jeopardizes long-term continuity planning.
• Culture/Staff: An absence of updated structures and clearly defined roles during emergencies may harm organizational culture and limit staff preparedness and coordination across departments. An outdated emergency management plan also has the potential to increase workloads and impact psychological safety.
• Reputational: Failure to meet external safety and preparedness expectations could affect the City's reputation among residents and regional stakeholders.
In summary, Alternative 2 does not address the evolving nature of emergencies or the City's responsibility to provide a coordinated and professional emergency response. It also does not address the gaps in the City's current Community Emergency Management Plan which need to be remedied before the expiration of the 2-year transition period, ending May 31, 2027, prescribed in the Emergency Regulation.
body
Report Date: 21 July 2025
Author(s): Mark Pickford
Department: Emergency Management Branch
Managing Director: Diane McMordie
Chief Administrative Officer: Bill Fletcher