In response to a question during a hearing, Indigenous Services Canada provided the following information.

Response from Indigenous Services Canada

Indigenous Services Canada is committed to continue engaging and working in partnership with First Nations and emergency management partners to establish comprehensive emergency management service agreements, inclusive of mutually agreed-upon service standards, as well as increase supports for First Nations-led approaches to emergency management. In doing so, by April 2025, ISC is committed to providing continued funding and, as available, new funding to support First Nation-led engagement with regards to their vision for emergency management, as well as the development of regional specific strategies, and new emergency management models.

Through April 2025, we will continue to work with and support First Nations to engage with their members on their vision for emergency management, and will provide additional funding to initiate and enable First Nation partners to develop their own First Nation-led emergency management models. This will help set the stage for multilateral discussions that bring all partners together to develop new multilateral service agreements. During this time, we will continue advancing multilateral conversations and initiate new conversations with First Nations, Indigenous leadership, and with all provincial and territorial governments across Canada regarding the future of emergency management service agreements. Work with partners will continue, in order to develop region-specific strategies and plans to advance new agreements which will include negotiation models and plans for engagement.

Recent examples of advancements in emergency management service agreements include in British Columbia, where discussions are underway to action a Memorandum of Understanding, signed in 2019 with First Nations Leadership Council, and the Governments of Canada and British Columbia. To advance the Memorandum of Understanding over the next months, all parties have agreed to develop a discussion paper outlining Emergency Management in British Columbia and the vision to advance a new Trilateral Emergency Management service agreement, which will help support future engagement with First Nations. Additionally, a Collaborative Emergency Management Agreement exists between the Tŝilhqot'in National Government, and the Governments of Canada and British Columbia and we are working with the parties on priorities of this agreement, including the advancement of the development of an Emergency Centre. Recently in Alberta, an Emergency Management Chief’s Forum was held in partnership with the province of Alberta (Alberta Emergency Management Agency) which was well received by the participating Chiefs and representatives. The Region continues to consider how to broaden engagement with all Alberta First Nations. Saskatchewan has recently distributed funding to five Tribal Councils (Meadow Lake, Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Yorkton, and File Hills Qu’Appelle) to fund a temporary resource in each Tribal Council who would engage with their member communities to conceptualize their vision for emergency management and develop models. Furthermore, in Manitoba, funding has been distributed to the Manitoba Assembly of Chiefs, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, Southern Chiefs’ Organization, Island Lake Tribal Council to facilitate engagement sessions and conduct a needs analysis on emergency management for their member communities.

Further, wildfire agreements exist in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. By April 2025, ISC will engage with the provincial governments and First Nations to review existing wildfire agreements and propose changes to be implemented the following fiscal year, or the nearest agreement renewal cycle (prior to the expiry date). In jurisdictions where wildfire agreements do not exist, we will engage with provincial governments and First Nations to establish wildfire agreements. Should a Province and/or First Nation opt not to establish a new wildfire agreement, ISC will ensure activation procedures continue. Regional specific plans for new agreements will be developed by April 2024, and by April 2025, new agreements will be established.

By April 2027, in establishing new multilateral service agreements, we will continue assessing internal capacity. Work will continue to be done with partners to develop mutually agreed-upon service standards, costing models, governance structures, and implementation plans.