How Vancouver prepares for emergencies

Bridge upgrades

We own and maintain 26 bridges throughout Vancouver. An $11 million project to seismically upgrade the older bridges, including the First Avenue viaduct, Granville Street Bridge, and the first phase of the Burrard Street Bridge, has been completed.

Dedicated Fire Protection System (DFPS)

Our Dedicated Fire Protection System (DFPS) is a $52 million system that makes sure there is a reliable supply of water for fighting fires in the high-density areas of the downtown peninsula, Kitsilano, and Fairview Slopes.

The DFPS consists of two saltwater pumping stations and a dedicated earthquake-resistant pipeline.

The first pump station at False Creek was opened in September 1995. The second opened in Coal Harbour in February 1997. The pipeline protecting the downtown core and the Kitsilano/Fairview neighbourhoods was completed in 2003.

Stormwater management

We adopted new design guidelines and stormwater management techniques.

We are in the process of replacing all combined sewer systems with separated sewer systems by 2050. This will stop untreated sewage from overflowing and entering our waterways. Separated sewer systems will also reduce the risk of flooding if there is an increase in rainfall, which can cause the sewers to overflow.

Mapping flood hazards

We map where Vancouver is vulnerable to flooding. This mapping will help with the development of our flood proofing plan, which includes new infrastructure needs, erosion control, and land use regulation changes.

Extreme weather response

Because of climate change, we experience more frequent and extreme weather events. In response, we continually update our emergency management plans to respond to more frequent, simultaneous, and extreme disasters efficiently.

Emergency Support Services

We provide short-term basic support to people who are displaced by disasters, and administer the provincial Emergency Support Services program.

In case of a disaster, we may open reception and group lodging centres.

• Reception centres provide essential needs for people affected by a disaster.
• Group lodging centres provide temporary housing for people affected by a disaster.

The locations of the reception and group lodging centres will be determined by the type, location, and severity of the disaster, but will likely be in community centres or other pre-identified large facilities.

Vancouver’s Emergency Support Services volunteers help support this program.

Learn more about being a centre volunteer

Note Make a plan and be prepared to be self-sufficient during an emergency or disaster. Resources, services, and support take time to set up and can be limited.

Public education

We have a public education program for emergency preparedness. You can access free workshops, videos, and resources to help you learn and prepare for emergencies and disasters.

Specialized response

We support and train specialized response teams for emergencies and disasters. Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services has a trained hazardous materials team that responds to threat of explosive and toxic material spills and leaks.

Canada Task Force 1 (CAN-TF1), Vancouver’s urban search and rescue force, is a team of 120 members with medical, fire suppression, emergency response, search and rescue, and engineering expertise. CAN-TF1 responds to disasters in Vancouver, across Canada, and internationally.

Earthquake Preparedness Strategy

In 2014, we developed the Earthquake Preparedness Strategy, a major component of our Emergency Preparedness Program. Currently, we are implementing actions identified in the strategy to reduce the impacts of an earthquake. We also continue to put significant work into assessing and addressing the risk of an earthquake.

Regional collaboration

Emergency managers across the Lower Mainland work together to plan and coordinate regional emergency preparedness and response.

The Integrated Partnership for Regional Emergency Management in Metro Vancouver (IPREM) is an intergovernmental partnership between the Province of BC and Metro Vancouver. It coordinates regional emergency management planning activities and collaborates with all levels of government and the private sector to create a disaster-resilient region.

Learn more about IPREM External website, opens in new tab

Emergency communications

If telecommunications infrastructure is damaged, telephones, mobile phones, and internet may not work. We have set up a partnership with an amateur radio operator society called VECTOR to provide reliable communications for emergency responders in the event of a major outage.

Consolidated radio and dispatch

E-Comm, the emergency communications centre for southwest British Columbia, provides 9-1-1 services and consolidated radio and dispatch services for first responders.

An integrated emergency communications system is critical to public safety. E-Comm’s multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional communications allow ambulance, fire, police, and other agencies to communicate clearly and reliably across the Lower Mainland.

Learn more about E-Comm External website, opens in new tab

Emergency Operations Centre

Our dedicated Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is designed to act as a coordination and communications centre for any large emergency or disaster events that impact Vancouver. It has been designed and built to withstand a major earthquake.