Under the Emergency Program Act, local authorities in BC, including both municipalities and regional districts, are legislated to be responsible for planning and managing emergency response operations within their jurisdiction.
Non-Treaty First Nations communities in BC do not fall under the authority of the Emergency Program Act. Training opportunities and provincial support are available to all First Nations on the same basis as for local authorities. First Nations are encouraged to integrate planning, preparedness and response activities with neighbouring local authorities. Whenever the term local authority or community is used, it is intended to include First Nations, as well (Province of BC, 2015).
The provincial and federal governments provide support to the local authorities.
