The information below was forwarded to BCAEM by one of its members.  Please contact Public Safety Canada for additional information:

As a result of Public Safety Canada’s recent Strategic Review which is a federal exercise to ensure that all government programs are focused on results, provide value for money and are aligned with government priorities and federal responsibilities, decisions in Ottawa were made:

(a) to close our Victoria office the next year or so, and

(b) to reduce JEPP funding for 2011-2012 by $2 million; the reduction in funding will affect regular JEPP projects only; funding amounts allocated to JEPP USAR and CIP will not be affected

As many of you know, the mandate for this program when it was introduced in 1980 was “to ensure a reasonably uniform emergency response to all types of emergencies from coast to coast”.  Much progress has been made in the last 30 years to help improve the state and level of emergency preparedness within the provinces, territories and local governments thanks JEPP.

Having achieved this, it was decided that it was now time to reduce the overall pocket for JEPP.  Unfortunately, this reduction in funding will definitely impact all provinces and territories across Canada, including BC whose funding has been reduced by a little over 35%.

On the upside of all this, it’s good to know that historically, BC projects have received funding in excess of the allocation. Hopefully, this will continue, but on the downside, there is no doubt this will mean less monies for projects overall.

It is my understanding that the BC Provincial Emergency Program will send out their JEPP information packages in the next month or so. Please don’t be too discouraged by this news and continue to send in your JEPP proposals!