A letter from the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness garnered a frosty reception from the Columbia Shuswap Regional District board at the Oct. 19 meeting in Salmon Arm.
At issue is the province’s decision to make cooling and warming centres part of its program to mitigate the impact of extreme weather events.
In an April 25 letter to the CSRD board, Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR), advised directors that the centres are expected to be locally led, and that an online hub ClimateReadyBC, is designed to assist local authorities with climate readiness strategies and support.
At the June board meeting, directors questioned why local governments should be responsible for something CSRD directors believe should be handled at the health authority level.
At that meeting, Chief Administrative Officer John MacLean cautioned directors about potential problems arising with local government administration of warming and cooling centres.
“The moment we open those sites, we are responsible for the safety and physical and mental health of anybody who uses the service, and staff; you have to have a proper facility and that’s hard to achieve in the rural areas,” said MacLean. “The logistical ramifications are mind-boggling.”
Board chair Kevin Flynn responded to Minister Ma’s letter with one of his own, acknowledging that extreme temperature-related events are noticeably more frequent and intense and indeed a cause for concern. But he pointed out it is important to recognize that temperature-related health concerns are best coordinated by health authorities.
“We are seeking more information with respect to the establishment of cooling and warming centres during extreme temperature emergencies, available funding streams, and the role local governments are expected to play during these severe weather-related events,” he wrote.
The response from the province did not acknowledge the role of health authorities, but rather advised that while the Emergency Program Act does not allow for ongoing program funding for extreme weather shelters, the province does support incremental costs associated with both cooling and warming centres when established on an emergency basis.
“Indigenous or local government owned or managed facilities may be eligible for reimbursement of incremental costs such as fuel for generators, staff overtime, facility rental, security costs, basic snacks and bottled water, cultural supports, and travel to and from extreme weather shelters for vulnerable populations,” wrote Madeline L. Maley, Assistant Deputy Minister, Regional Operations of the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. “In addition, should Public Safety Lifeline Volunteers (PSLVs) be utilized to support extreme weather shelters, liability coverage may be available for PSLVs supporting this effort.”
Maley pointed out that BC Housing is responsible for the Extreme Weather Response (EWR) program that funds community-based services to provide temporary emergency shelter spaces during periods of extreme summer and winter weather, which threatens the health and safety of people experiencing homelessness. “The program is designed to provide time-limited, weather-responsive, temporary shelter spaces in communities where there is no sufficient emergency shelter bed capacity during extreme weather conditions.”
In terms of accessing funding, Maley noted the Disaster Risk Reduction – Climate Adaptation funding stream application deadline for the 2023/24 intake was Oct. 6th, 2023 and that applications for 2023/24 will reopen with the next deadline being March 28, 2024.