An expert advisory panel tasked to examine the government’s approach to disaster recovery funding has made several recommendations aimed at delivering a more flexible, digitally streamlined program that incentivizes resilience and climate change adaptation.
The release of the report was announced last week by Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair, who welcomed the panel’s insights into the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) program.
“The report’s findings and recommendations provide valuable insights and information to adapt disaster recovery funding in Canada so we can continue to support those in need and make communities more resilient to disasters moving forward,” he said.
The recommendations outlined in the panel’s final report were divided into two categories. The first set provides strategic recommendations for improving the DFAA program by shifting to outcome-driven goals with enhanced accountability, increasing flexibility for provinces and territories, and creating stronger incentives for all societal actors to reduce disaster risk. Meanwhile, the second set offers recommendations on how to address underlying gaps and challenges for aligning post-disaster financing with disaster risk reduction across the complex network of federal programs and overlapping mandates.
“The panel has framed its recommendations within the context of building forward together, which means not aiming to simply repair and recover losses incurred during a disaster event but to work in collaboration with each other toward building better, stronger and more risk-resilient communities,” said Rebecca Denlinger, panel chair and former deputy minister for emergency management in British Columbia. “We believe that implementing these recommendations will improve the long-term effectiveness and viability of disaster financing in Canada.”
Blair was tasked in a 2021 mandate letter to conduct a comprehensive review of the DFAA program, which provides financial assistance to provinces and territories following natural disasters. He appointed an eight-member advisory panel in 2022 to examine the program, tapping experts from the public sector, academia, non-profit, Indigenous communities, and the private sector.
A news release from the minister said the government will use the panel’s recommendations to inform its approach to disaster financial assistance. The program’s current terms and conditions have been extended until March 31, 2024 to allow for the completion of the review.
What are your thoughts on this story? Feel free to comment below.
