Emergency Management Assistance Program - key statistics
How natural hazards affect First Nation communities
From 2009 to 2023, there have been more than
2,100
natural hazard emergencies
affecting First Nations on reserves across Canada.
During this time,
floods and wildfires made up
71%
of all emergencies, followed by loss of essential services emergencies (13%), severe weather (10%), environmental contamination (4%), and landslide or shoreline erosion (2%).
Flooding
From 2009 to 2013, there was an average of 39 floods per year affecting First Nations on reserves. From 2018 to 2023, this
increased by
to an average of 67 floods per year.
Wildfires
From 2009 to 2013, there was an average of 28 wildfires per year affecting First Nations on reserves. From 2018 to 2023, this
increased by
to an average of 63 wildfires per year.
Evacuations
First Nations residents are disproportionately affected by emergency events and evacuations. From 2009 to 2023,
more than
First Nations people living on reserve have been evacuated due to a natural hazard.
How the Emergency Management Assistance Program (EMAP) supports First Nations
Response and recovery
From 2014 to 2024, EMAP has reimbursed more than $1 billion in response costs and more than $504.5 million in recovery costs.
Text alternative for Graph of costs reimbursed
For 2014 to 2015:
- Response: $50,415,748
- Recovery: $15,403,947
- Total: $65,819,695
For 2015 to 2016:
- Response: $36,956,131
- Recovery: $34,829,649
- Total: $71,785,780
For 2016 to 2017:
- Response: $48,813,852
- Recovery: $32,314,729
- Total: $81,128,581
For 2017 to 2018:
- Response: $73,861,394
- Recovery: $27,602,517
- Total: $101,463,911
For 2018 to 2019:
- Response: $58,721,628
- Recovery: $64,193,993
- Total: $122,915,621
For 2019 to 2020:
- Response: $107,830,540
- Recovery: $71,610,647
- Total: $179,441,187
For 2020 to 2021:
- Response: $30,928,874
- Recovery: $38,266,623
- Total: $69,195,497
For 2021 to 2022:
- Response: $78,011,128
- Recovery: $76,573,906
- Total: $154,585,034
For 2022 to 2023:
- Response: $189,574,946
- Recovery: $77,018,185
- Total: $266,593,131
For 2023 to 2024:
- Response: $369,501,840
- Recovery: $139,688,498
- Total: $509,190,338
Mitigation and preparedness
From 2019 to 2024, EMAP has provided approximately
$86.1 million
to fund non-structural mitigation and preparedness projects.
FireSmart
From 2019 to 2024, EMAP provided nearly
$47.8 million
to fund FireSmart projects.
Capacity enhancement
From 2019 to 2024, EMAP provided approximately
$55 million
to fund coordinator positions in First Nations communities across Canada.
Co-led initiatives
In partnership with the Assembly of First Nations, EMAP co-led research into the accessibility of flood insurance products on reserves and the factors that play into First Nation flood preparedness.
Service transfer
- EMAP-funded emergency management coordinators to support First Nations by identifying and preparing for possible emergency scenarios and coordinating response efforts to emergency events.
- EMAP has begun transferring services to First Nations through emergency management capacity positions and the development of multilateral emergency management service agreements.
- In British Columbia, the FireSmart program is now delivered by the First Nations' Emergency Services Society.