Economic Recovery and Resilience: a Guide for First Nation–Municipal Collaboration

Economic Recovery and Resilience: A Guide for First Nation–Municipal Collaboration

This guide is a framework for elected officials and staff of First Nations and municipalities who want to enhance their emergency preparedness and economic resilience. Use it alongside Stronger Together: A Toolkit for First Nations-Municipal Community Economic Development Partnerships and other resources listed at the end of this guide.

This guide showcases the following areas related to economic recovery and resilience: • Recommendations and tools for building your own First Nation–municipal partnerships • Similarities and differences between First Nation and municipal jurisdictions (Appendix 1) • Community case studies (Appendix 2) ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE: A GUIDE FOR FIRST NATION–MUNICIPAL COLLABORATION

Contents A New Context...... 3 Setting the Stage ...... 4 The Jurisdictional Gap ...... 5 Collaboration Across the Emergency Management Continuum...... 6 Preparedness: Building Relationships and Planning Together Before an Emergency...... 7 Response: Collaborating on Immediate Economic Relief after an Emergency...... 9

Recovery: The New Way of Doing Business—Collaborating on Medium and Long-Term Recovery...... 11 Resources...... 14 Acknowledgments...... 15 Endnotes...... 16 Appendix 1: Overview of Similarities and Differences in Emergency Management for On-Reserve First Nations and Municipalities...... 17 Appendix 2: Case Studies...... 20 Case Study 1: Preparedness Nuxalk Nation–Central Coast Regional District–Emergency Management British Columbia Partnership ...... 20 Case Study 2: Response Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission COVID-19 Regional Economic Recovery Task Force & Regional Response Action Team...... 21 Case Studies 3: Recovery Sawridge First Nation, Town of Slave Lake, Municipal District of Lesser Slave River Partnership ...... 22 Dene Tha’ First Nation and Town of High Level Partnership...... 23

2 ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE: A GUIDE FOR FIRST NATION–MUNICIPAL COLLABORATION

A New Context

Disasters have increased in frequency and intensity in recent years.1 In Canada, the twin challenges of natural disasters and economic impacts of COVID-19 have thrust emergency preparedness and economic recovery onto government radars. First Nations and municipalities face challenges as they often lack the fiscal and human capacity for effective preparedness, response, and recovery.

Why collaborate to coordinate emergency • Greater health and wellness outcomes for all, management and develop economic resilience? including the most vulnerable • Cost savings, resource sharing, and more • Improved outcomes in regional recovery by efficient service delivery having diverse and representative voices at • Increased ability to access stimulus funding the table from other orders of government • Increased community resilience and capacity to respond together in future emergencies

3 ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE: A GUIDE FOR FIRST NATION–MUNICIPAL COLLABORATION

Setting the Stage

The overarching goal of First Nation–municipal Emergency Management Continuum collaboration on emergency management is

increasing regional economic resilience. This n atio itig resilience increases as communities build M & Ope II n ra . P o isk tio r ti R na e capacity along the four stages of emergency n e l R p uc a e d e v e d r e in e management: r R e d s n P s . C e I s o Environmental o s r d i Scan n I. Mitigation - Actions taken to prevent or a t Leadership Engagement e

All-Hazards Risk Assessment A

reduce the consequences of an emergency. p

Training r o

Mitigation activities consist of identifying a

Exercise c h

R Capability Improvement vulnerabilities and taking proactive e s t Process o r I e V measures to diminish the impact of potential d Performance . /

C R Assessment o e emergencies. n c ti o e n c u v n it e a y e d o ry r f s o O n c s o c ie pe p a it r s in or II. Preparedness - Actions taken to prepare for at e e ri io I. R ns P n II po ic es teg d R tra effective emergency response. Preparedness grate S Inte with activities consist of planning for response * SEMP = Strategic Emergency and recovery during emergencies as well Management Plan as training and exercising emergency management plans. Resilience is defined as III. Response - Actions taken immediately before, during, or after an emergency “the capacity of a system, to manage consequences and minimize community or society to adapt to impacts. Response activities may include disturbances resulting from hazards emergency public communication, medical assistance or evacuations. by persevering, recuperating or changing to reach and maintain an IV. Recovery - Actions taken after an acceptable level of functioning. emergency to restore a community to Resilience minimizes vulnerability, its pre-emergency condition. Recovery dependence, and susceptibility by measures start during response and reduce future community vulnerabilities while creating or strengthening social improving planning for these events.2 and physical capacity in the human This guide will emphasize building regional and built environment to cope with, economic resilience through a framework for adapt to, respond to, and recover collaboration on the preparedness, response, and learn from disasters." 10 and recovery stages.

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The Jurisdictional Gap

Federal, provincial, territorial, First Nation, Communication issues and municipal governments all have unique emergency management responsibilities. First This jurisdictional gap can create communication Nations and municipalities have commonalities failures during crises. In 2011, Sawridge First and key differences in their responsibilities. Nation Chief Roland Twinn received an initial They are directly accountable to their citizens evacuation notice related to the wildfires, but and are best equipped to understand their no further communication from the Alberta communities’ strengths and needs and Emergency Management Agency (AEMA). He design effective emergency management was forced to go to the Emergency Operations plans.3 They share similar fiscal, human, and Centre (EOC) and demand that his community technical capacity challenges in preparing be included in the emergency response. This for, responding to, and recovering from oversight was a result of Sawridge First Nation emergencies. A table listing similarities and falling through the gap between federal and differences between First Nation and municipal provincial governments (See Appendix 2). emergency management jurisdiction can be found in Appendix 1. Now, the strong relationships built at the local level between Sawridge, Town of Slave Lake and the Despite common responsibilities and MD of Lesser Slave River means that this kind of challenges, a jurisdictional gap remains oversight will not happen again (See Appendix 2). between First Nations and municipalities AEMA has also doubled the number of staff ded- because emergency management services icated to supporting First Nations in emergencies and supports are provided to First Nations by since those wildfires. In Alberta, Metis settlements the federal government and to municipalities are also affected by the jurisdictional gap, as was by provincial and territorial governments. To seen in the Rural Municipality of Wood Buffalo improve the coordination of these services, response to the 2016 wildfire. In response to the Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) has signed 2016 wildfires, the Athabasca Tribal Council, the agreements with Alberta, Saskatchewan, Athabasca River Métis, and the Nistawoyou Asso- and Ontario and MOUs with British Columbia ciation Friendship Centre created a report outlin- and Nova Scotia and is negotiating with ing findings and recommendations for Rebuilding the remaining provinces and territories to Resilient Indigenous Communities in the Rural conclude agreements for delivery of on-reserve Municipality of Wood Buffalo. emergency management services.4 While federal, provincial, and territorial governments Coordination and funding issues attempt to address this gap, the reality continues to result in significant barriers to The gap can also lead to disjointed regional effective emergency response and recovery. planning and recovery initiatives, as happened

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in the aftermath of severe flooding in Nuxalk A new model territory in 2010 and wildfires in 2017. British Columbia and the Central Coast Regional District Emergencies are often cross-jurisdictional, so led the recovery efforts, including rebuilding responses must be as well. Promising trends are critical infrastructure such as roads. The Nuxalk emerging. In 2019, the First Nations Leadership Nation were not included in conversations about Council (First Nations Summit, British Columbia recovery, again the result of a jurisdictional gap Assembly of First Nations, and the Union of that created communication barriers between British Columbia Indian Chiefs), the Government neighbouring communities. Since then, these of British Columbia, and ISC signed an MOU communities have established a model for joint to formalize roles and responsibilities for on- planning (See Appendix 2). reserve emergency management support. This MOU also creates a shared table for coordinating Differing standards for emergency preparedness, emergency management services and supports. unclear funding criteria and service duplication are While the impacts of this MOU have yet to be also challenges. COVID-19 funding and supports seen, it establishes a model for agreements are one example, as some First Nations expressed with and between First Nations and other frustration regarding unclear eligibility criteria. provinces and territories. Examples such as the Many on-reserve First Nation businesses were disagreement around consultation between initially unable to access the Canada Emergency British Columbia and several First Nations Business Account, as only taxable income was regarding Phase III of the COVID-19 re-opening counted toward payroll eligibility. The federal strategy further highlights the importance government later amended this requirement and of formal and proactive efforts to bridge the provided additional funding, but the initial impact jurisdictional gap and create strong partnerships and time lost for those businesses remained. between First Nations and municipalities.

Collaboration Across the Emergency Management Continuum

What follows is a framework for collaborating The foundation of effective First Nation– on emergency management and enhancing municipal collaboration, on emergency economic resilience. As technical best practices management or anything else, is respectful and in emergency management and economic informed relationships between community recovery already exist and are consistent across members, elected officials, and staff. Appendix 2 disaster types5, they will be referenced in this includes case studies for each of the continuum guide. The added value of the information below phases below. is tailoring these best practices to the context of First Nation–municipal collaboration.

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Preparedness: Building Relationships and Planning Together Before an Emergency

The ideal time to begin collaborating on emergency management and enhancing economic resilience is before a disaster occurs. Preparation can positively affect community resilience, speed up recovery, minimize damage, and reduce the negative physical and mental health impacts on citizens. Effective joint planning requires open and respectful relationships and learning about the similarities and differences between jurisdictions. Below are First Nation–Municipal Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI)’s best practices in engaging together. For more detail, see the Start learning about your CEDI Stronger Together Toolkit. neighbour’s emergency Build Relationships and Understanding: management governance and Every practitioner interviewed for this guide jurisdiction. Ask each other: emphasized that strong relationships between • Who is responsible for decision- communities, officials, and staff are necessary making during emergencies? for successful joint emergency management planning. Relationships must be open, honest, • Do you have an emergency and respectful; they cannot be transactional, management plan? If so, share it. rushed, or skipped. Reach out to your • What is your relationship with neighbours through a call or visit. Establish federal/provincial/territorial an informal team of champions committed to governments on emergency collaboration and build support within your management? councils and staff for working together. • How do you access funding and supports for emergency To build a long-term partnership, you must management? invest in learning about the histories, cultures, governance structures, protocols, and emergency • What legislation guides or mandates management jurisdiction of the neighbouring your emergency management community. It is critical to understand how your responsibilities? communities are similar and different, and why. • What are your current emergency For an overview of similarities and differences management priorities? between First Nations and municipalities in emergency management, see Appendix 1.

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Invite councils and senior staff together and measures and developing regional resilience. use Chapter Two and Appendix B of the CEDI An understanding of each community’s Stronger Together Toolkit. for exercises on respective jurisdictions, access to funding and building respectful relationships. See CEDI’s resources and governance structures is critical guide on First Nation and Municipal Economic at this stage, as it will identify gaps that joint Development Organizations for details on how planning can fill. communities manage economic development. Be patient and committed to this process with Use Tool #8 from the CEDI Stronger Together an open mind and heart. Ask questions and Toolkit to develop a shared vision for regional don’t wait for permission to reach out. It takes economic resilience. With a shared vision in time and effort to build trust across cultures place, a best practice, pioneered by FEMA within the context of a challenging history. in the United States, is to have a Disaster Resilience Framework that addresses each Establish a Shared Emergency Management of the six recovery support functions, one Table: Formalize your partnership by creating of which is economic. Ensure all partner’s an emergency management working group, voices are heard in developing these and that committee, or task force of elected officials vulnerable populations are considered. See and senior staff from each community, as Chapter VII of the Economic Developers of well as other stakeholders such as federal Alberta’s Community Toolkit for Economic and provincial emergency management Recovery and Resiliency (CTERR) for detailed agencies, chambers of commerce, economic descriptions of these tools and processes. development agencies, health authorities, and non-profits as required. Your table will Increase Capacity: Capacity shortages are be the bridge between your communities, a primary barrier to effective emergency emergency managers, governments, and the management, response, and recovery within business community. With a view to long-term both First Nations and municipalities.6 Both collaboration, this table should develop and the Nuxalk–Central Coast Regional District ratify terms of reference that clarify mandate, and the Sawridge–Slave Lake–MD of Lesser governance and decision-making processes. Slave River partnerships have hired and co- managed a staff person to lead their joint The consensus decisionmaking model exercised emergency management activities (see cases by the Lesser Slave River Tri-Council is a best studies in Appendix 2). Both emphasized practice. More details can be found on page how instrumental the additional capacity 115 of the CEDI Stronger Together toolkit. See was in actualizing their shared goals. Begin CEDI’s Creating a Joint Working Group for First a conversation with federal and provincial/ Nation–Municipal Partnership for best practices territorial governments to explore funding in establishing and managing a shared table options for this position. If resources are and for a terms of reference template. not available to hire an additional staff person, communities can follow the Central Share and Develop Plans and a Vision: Sharing Okanagan Economic Development Commission information, including existing emergency (COEDC)’s example of delegating internal management plans, risk hazard analyses, and staff resources from each community to lead community strengths and vulnerabilities is an on joint economic recovery initiatives (see important first step in aligning preparedness Appendix 2).

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Response: Collaborating on Immediate Economic Relief after an Emergency

and offer support where possible. If coordinated emergency management plans exist, implement them. If no shared plans exist, convene a table with decisionmakers from each community and establish how you will collaborate during the emergency.

Ensure all First Nations and municipalities in the region are included in the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), have roles within the Incident Command System (ICS) and Emergencies create capacity and resource are integrated in communications strategies. shortages in the moment they are needed Keep the jurisdictional gap in mind because most. In these moments, it is understandable your communities may not be operating with that communities look inward and focus the same supports or resources. If possible, on their citizens; however, responding to assemble a technical team of experts to guide emergencies collaboratively creates benefits for your response and recovery actions. These governments and citizens, with both First Nation experts may include third-party organizations and municipal voices around the table. These such as the Red Cross or the Samaritan’s Purse benefits include consistent and clear internal that provide first-responder expertise. and external communications; inclusive needs assessments that respond to all, including the Communicate: Frequent and open most vulnerable; and efficient response actions communication among partners was that avoid duplication or conflict. identified as essential by practitioners who were interviewed. If a crisis communications The Economic Developers of Alberta’s plan does not exist, develop one together Community Toolkit for Economic Recovery and immediately to align internal and external Resiliency (CTERR) is Canada’s comprehensive communications throughout the emergency. guide on best practices in economic recovery Effective intergovernmental communication is and resiliency. The information below is an necessary to avoid duplication of services and to overview of this content, adapted to the context coordinate response actions. When developing of First Nation–municipal collaboration. this plan, keep in mind that elected officials have two audiences for their communications during Connect and Convene: In an emergency, an emergency: citizens and businesses. Develop connect with your neighbours as soon as a plan that speaks to both. Clear and consistent possible. Ask how the disaster is affecting their communications with the public provides community, what their immediate needs are, stability to business and industry, which can

9 ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE: A GUIDE FOR FIRST NATION–MUNICIPAL COLLABORATION

“If it’s good for one of us, it’s good for all of us in the long run. That took a real change in mindset. This is a team sport, not a competition.” – Reeve Murray Kerik, MD of Lesser Slave River

lessen the economic impact of a disaster. appropriate way and reach all businesses in the Consistent communication can also reduce region. See Chapter V of the CTERR for more anxiety for citizens who may access services guidance. in multiple jurisdictions. Both First Nation and municipal voices must be involved in developing Create an Action Plan: Based on results from protocols, as each community will advocate economic impact assessments, develop an for their needs and understand how best to immediate action plan addressing the short- communicate with their citizens and economic term needs of businesses and industry. Possible actors. The Cariboo Regional District has an actions include developing a business recovery example of a Crisis Communications Plan. centre; providing grants, loans and other short- term financing needs; creating a hotline and Roles and responsibilities in First Nations and web portal for businesses to access information; municipalities often differ significantly (See supporting business continuity planning; and Appendix 1). In the Chuckegg Creek wildfire, the delivering business recovery workshops. Chief of Dene Tha’ First Nation was responsible for a greater volume of communications and In responding to economic or public health decision-making than the Mayor of the Town of concerns, First Nations and municipalities High Level, and with less administrative support. have different supports that they can provide Remote communities often have additional their communities. In the case of COVID-19, barriers such as limited access to internet and municipalities could offer utility bill and property telecommunications. Factor these differences tax relief to residents and businesses. First into shared crisis communications plans. See Nations, on the other hand, were able to use Chapter VI CTERR for more guidance. bylaws to restrict access to their communities to a greater degree than municipalities, Assess Economic Needs: Assessing the needs addressing their public health concerns. Though of businesses and industry is foundational to many jurisdictional needs are similar, it can be determining an appropriate response. Economic beneficial to all economic actors to coordinate impact assessments should be conducted response plans to leverage the unique capacities with businesses, industries, and community of First Nations and municipalities. This ensures organizations. Partners must coordinate these the needs of businesses in the region are assessments and share data so the resulting addressed, reducing economic impact and action plans address each community’s unique hastening recovery. See Chapter III and IV of the needs. Having both First Nation and municipal CTERR for more details and the list of financial voices around the table will help to ensure resources available to communities during these consultations are done in a culturally COVID-19.

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Recovery: The New Way of Doing Business—Collaborating on Medium- and Long-Term Recovery

Review and Strengthen Your Partnership: The recovery phase is the ideal time to review and strengthen your partnership. Conduct a joint debrief of your shared disaster response. What worked? What did not? What could be improved? Review all aspects, including emergency preparedness, response, recovery plans and strategies, joint communication protocols, and the structure of your shared table. Adapt and improve where necessary. Ensure your economic recovery strategy remains applicable in the post-disaster context. Connect recovery Public support for emergency preparedness strategies with other stages of the emergency and economic resilience is greatest following management continuum, such as detailing a disaster, so this is an ideal time to invest in mitigation initiatives. Taking this opportunity to joint emergency management. Collaborating improve your capacity in all four stages will build on medium- and long-term economic recovery greater economic resilience. See Chapter VIII of can result in enhanced economic outcomes the CTERR for detailed descriptions of economic for all partners, through efficient service recovery strategic planning processes. delivery, increased access to stimulus funding, and coordinated regional planning. It is an If the recent disaster was your first time collabo- opportunity to strengthen your First Nation– rating, then this is your opportunity to formalize municipal partnership for the long term. your partnership. Communities with a shared table should communicate clearly about how to For municipalities to fully recover after an postpone or continue managing the partnership’s emergency, neighbouring First Nations must also pre-disaster priorities. Communities may move have recovered and vice versa. Formalizing your through response and recovery stages at differ- partnership can lead to collaboration in other ent speeds. CEDI recommends that partnerships areas, resulting in additional community benefits. include guidance for emergency situations within Planning together should become the new way of the shared table’s terms of reference. doing business in your region. The Town of Slave Lake’s Mayor Tyler Warman says, “Create a box Re-envision the Regional Economy: Long-term that someone else would actually have to destroy economic recovery creates an opportunity to for the partnership to fail.”7 CEDI recommends reflect on how the regional economy can be the following practices in preparing for long-term built back better. Create opportunities with your collaboration on emergency management and partners and external economic stakeholders economic recovery. to explore new shared priorities, inclusive

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procurement opportunities within adapted regional recovery are covered and the needs of supply chains, inclusive and representative each community are addressed. For resources employment initiatives, upgrades to critical available to support communities through infrastructure and service agreements, and COVID-19, see the resources section at the end strategies for economic diversification. Align of the guide. your shared approach to economic recovery: do your communities want to build back with mitigation as a priority or is a quick recovery more important? See Chapter XI of the CTERR for details of economic diversification strategies.

Advocate: “Economic recovery plans and strategies are of no value to the public sector if “A fuller spectrum of there is no operational capacity to implement them.”8 First Nations and municipalities will inclusion will increase the have different access to federal, provincial, and territorial stimulus funds and should explore how strength of the economic to leverage all channels for maximum recovery and stimulus funding. In addition, partnerships response overall. The should explore other areas of funding, such as local banks, credit unions, alternative lenders, companies that are able foundations, the Canadian Red Cross, and co-operatives. A coordinated approach to to understand that and advocacy will ensure all avenues for financing understand economic development as a process having everyone at the table, will be able to construct more appropriate responses in the short term.”

– Carol Anne Hilton, CEO, Indigenomics

Mayor Joe Taylor of the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan and Chief Laurie Carr of Hiawatha First Nation, with other signatories, at the ceremonial signing of their “Ezhi-Wiijikiwendiyang” or Friendship Accord.

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Grow the Partnership: Referring to partnerships, Reeve Murray Kerik of the MD of Lesser Slave River says, “If you ignore it long enough, it will go away, and you’ll be back where you started.”9 Partnerships need to be actively invested in and deepened. With a successful joint response and recovery, you may find there are other areas of potential collaboration for your communities. Central Coast Regional District (CCRD) Chair Samuel Schooner said of the Nuxalk–CCRD– Emergency Management British Columbia Chief PJ Prosper and Warden Owen McCarron sign (EMBC) emergency management partnership: Anku’kamkewey (Friendship Accord), 2018. “The relationships we are building through collaborating on emergency management are the partnership. See Tool #9 in the CEDI important and will likely lead to many other Stronger Together Toolkit for guidance on projects and partnerships in the future.” how to develop a Friendship Accord.

The following are CEDI best practices for • Develop work plans that outline deepening your First Nation–municipal concrete outcomes for your shared work. partnership beyond emergency management: See pages 107–110 of the CEDI Stronger Together Toolkit for guidance on joint • Convene a joint council-to-council meeting work planning. to discuss other shared priorities and set a vision for the partnership in areas of CEDI partners engage in serious work with mutual interest. Make these joint council tangible outcomes for their communities; however, meetings regular to oversee your work and relationship building can and should be fun. Chief continue updating shared priorities. Roland Twinn of Sawridge First Nation, Mayor Tyler Warman of the Town of Slave Lake, and • Develop and sign a Friendship Accord Reeve Murray Kerik of the MD of Lesser Slave River or MOU, articulating the spirit of your developed an annual tradition of taking a canoe partnership and shared vision. These signed trip where they connect and address outstanding documents can be publicly displayed and issues in their partnership. See pages 57–59 of the celebrated annually. This is a great way to CEDI Stronger Together Toolkit for more ideas on include new elected officials and staff in growing and sustaining a partnership.

Join the growing movement of First Nation–municipal collaboration in Canada on Facebook and by following CEDI on Twitter @FNMuni

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Resources

• Government of British Columbia’s Emergency Management Planning Toolkit for Local Authorities and First Nations is a thorough guide for developing emergency management plans for local authorities and First Nations. The BC Government has also produced resources specifically for First Nations in BC.

• A comprehensive toolkit for economic recovery and resiliency in the Canadian municipal context is available in the Economic Developers of Alberta’s Community Toolkit for Economic Recovery and Resiliency.

• The First Nations’ Emergency Services Society of British Columbia has detailed resources and templates for building the emergency management capacity of First Nations.

• The largest international archive of information about economic recovery, as well as templates, tools, and guidance is the International Economic Development Council’s website.

• The Justice Institute of British Columbia has produced a toolkit on disaster resilience informed by Indigenous Traditional Knowledge: Aboriginal Disaster Resilience and Traditional Knowledge.

• Rebuilding Resilience Indigenous Communities in the RMWB, highlights the experience of First Nations and Metis settlements, providing recommendations that address the jurisdictional gap in emergency management.

• For an overview of on-reserve emergency management, see the Library of Parliament’s Emergency Management on First Nations Reserves Background Paper

• Cando and FCM have compiled lists of resources available for both First Nations and municipalities in responding to COVID-19: Cando and FCM

• Cando and FCM have many other resources on First Nation-municipal collaboration, including the Stronger Together Toolkit.

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Acknowledgments

The First Nation–Municipal Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI), implemented jointly by Cando (Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers) and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), has been supporting First Nation–municipal partnerships to identify, prioritize, plan and implement joint community economic development initiatives since 2013. This guide was built on years of supporting First Nation–municipal collaboration and informed by interviews conducted in 2020 with elected officials and senior staff from First Nations and municipalities, as well as leaders and experts from across Canada. Cando and FCM would like to thank Indigenous Services Canada for the funding to produce this guide. Thank you also to the following peer reviewers:

• Stanley Barnaby, Cando Board of Directors • Shawna Morning Bull, Cando Board and Finance and Operations Manager at of Directors and Manager of Business Joint Economic Development Initiative Development at Community Futures Treaty 7 • Leann Hackman-Carty, Business & Economic • Kevin Poole, Manager of Economic Recovery Expert and CEO of Economic Development and Tourism, City of Developers Alberta Vernon and 2nd Vice President, Economic Developers Association of Canada Cando and FCM would also like to thank the following people who volunteered their time to be interviewed to ground this guide in best practices from lived experience:

• Jordan Asels, Economic Development • Mindy Knott, Economic Development Manager, Dene Tha’ First Nation, AB Officer, Curve Lake First Nation, ON • Mandi Carroll, Manager of Economic • Clark McAskile, Chief Administrative Officer, Development, Westbank First Nation, BC Town of High Level, AB • Natasha Gaudio Harrison, Consultant, • Suzanne McCrimmon, Director of Business MDB Insight Development, Peterborough and Kawarthas • Corie Griffiths, Director of Economic Economic Development, ON Development and Bylaw Services, Regional • Alison Sayers, past Chair of Central Coast District of Central Okanagan, BC Regional District, BC • Leann Hackman-Carty, Business & Economic • Samuel Schooner, Chair of the Central Coast Recovery Expert and CEO, Economic Regional District and Councillor for Nuxalk Developers of Alberta Nation, BC • Carol Anne Hilton, CEO, Indigenomics • Chief Roland Twinn, Sawridge First Nation, AB • Reeve Murray Kerik, Municipal District of • Mayor Tyler Warman, Town of Slave Lake, Lesser Slave River, AB AB

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Endnotes

1 The United Nations Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 and Government of Canada: An Emergency Management Framework for Canada - Third Edition

2 Government of Canada: An Emergency Management Framework for Canada - Third Edition

3 Daniel Henstra, “Municipal Emergency Management”

4 Library of Parliament: Emergency Management on First Nations Reserves Background Paper 5 Interview with Leann Hackman-Carty, Business & Economic Recovery Expert and CEO, Economic Developers of Alberta 6 Interviews conducted for this guide 7 Interview with Mayor Tyler Warman, Town of Slave Lake

8 Community Toolkit for Economic Recovery and Resiliency, pg. 7 9 Interview with Reeve Murray Kerik, Municipal District of Lesser Slave River

10 Government of Canada: An Emergency Management Framework for Canada - Third Edition

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Appendix 1: Overview of Similarities and Differences in Emergency Management for On-Reserve First Nations and Municipalities

For an overview of on-reserve emergency management, see the Library of Parliament’s Emergency Management on First Nations Reserves Background Paper. For an overview of the emergency management roles of local, provincial/territorial and federal governments, see Chapter VII of the Community Toolkit for Economic Recovery and Resiliency. Complexities are created by the different jurisdictions and governance structures of local governments, as well as the unique circumstances of First Nations that are self-governing, operate under the Indian Act, within Treaty or on unceded territory. This table refers to on-reserve emergency management. First Nations and municipalities who are interested in collaborating on emergency management should spend time sharing and learning about one another’s unique jurisdiction and governance structures.

First Nations Municipalities Emergency The federal government has primary responsibility Provincial and territorial management for on-reserve emergency management, since governments are responsible for jurisdiction and Section 91(24) of the Constitution Act, 1867 provides emergency management within their relationship that the federal government has exclusive legislative jurisdictions. Municipal emergency with federal/ authority over “Indians, and Lands reserved for the management responsibilities are provincial/ Indians.”i largely determined by provincial/ territorial policy. Each province/ territorial Only Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and Health territory provides mandates and governments Canada (HC) have mandated responsibilities to First guidance for municipalities to Nations in emergencies. ISC’s National Emergency develop emergency management Management Plan states that ISC is responsible for plans and training exercises. They ensuring First Nations have access to emergency provide funding to support the management services comparable to those available development and implementation of to provincial residents. ISC does so by working with these plans. the relevant provincial/territorial government, as well as third-party actors, reimbursing expenses Municipalities are responsible for used to support First Nations during emergencies. requesting support from provincial/ In reality, communication and jurisdictional barriers territorial governments during a mean that this standard is not always met. HC disaster. The provincial/territorial supports First Nations to plan for responding to government will then request pandemics and other public health emergencies. additional support from the federal government if the response is beyond their capacity.

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First Nations Municipalities Governance The Chief of a First Nation is the primary decision- Municipalities can declare a State in emergency maker during an emergency. First Nations can of Emergency through a council management declare a State of Emergency through a council resolution, which offers the mayor/ resolution. During COVID-19, many First Nations reeve/warden the ability to do used Indian Act bylaws to enforce restrictions on anything that is not contrary to movement to and from their reserves. This power law in enacting their emergency comes from s. 81(1)(a) of the Indian Act, which management plan. This could include empowers band councils to make bylaws “to mandating social distancing and provide for the health of residents on the reserve face masks; closures of municipally and to prevent the spreading of contagious and owned spaces such as parks; infectious diseases.” restricting business operations; and These bylaws offer a greater ability to control closures of premises. movement than municipal counterparts have; Click here for a full list of powers however, there remains a challenge around made available in a State of enforceability of these bylaws. Self-governing First Emergency. Unlike First Nations, Nations or those that have opted out of the Indian there is a clear procedure and Act have legislative and governance tools to restrict funding available for enforcing movement on their land, but not through the Indian municipal bylaws. Act.

Access to First Nations are generally lacking appropriate Municipalities are generally financial resources for emergency management, particularly lacking appropriate resources for resources for for prevention and mitigation. Between 2009–2010 emergency management. When emergency and 2012–2013, approximately 63% of funds from the response and recovery needs of a management Emergency Management Assistance Program were disaster exceed municipal capacity, and recovery spent on response and recovery, while only 1% was provincial/territorial governments spent on prevention and mitigation, though that is will assist. ii changing. Municipalities have a wider range During and after a disaster, First Nations must of financial tools to respond to rely on federal funding in some cases provincial/ emergencies than do First Nations. territorial governments also provide funding For example, municipalities have streams, but this is not the norm). These funds own-source revenues from property are often designated for specific purposes and do taxes that offer greater flexibility not provide flexibility to meet the needs of post- than grant funding from provincial/ disaster recovery. Funds often have strict reporting territorial/federal governments. requirements that can be difficult for communities Municipalities can also use these struggling with capacity shortages. revenue sources to support There can be a lack of clarity in which funds First businesses and residents during an Nations are able to access. In the case of COVID-19, emergency, for example by deferring First Nation businesses were unable to access the property taxes or utility bulls during Canada Emergency Business Account, as they are COVID-19. fully owned by a First Nation and required income Municipalities are also generally tax assessments, which on-reserve businesses do unable to go into debt to finance iii not file. emergency management expenses. First Nations are generally unable to go into debt to finance response and recovery initiatives. Since First Nation’s revenues often come from owning businesses, the economic impact of business closures during disasters may have a disproportionately higher impact on First Nations than municipalities.

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First Nations Municipalities Infrastructure “For some First Nations communities living on In general, many municipalities and human reserves, managing and recovering from emergencies experience staff and fiscal capacity capacity is made particularly challenging by socio-economic shortages that are accentuated challenges conditions, geographic location, and the frequency during disasters. Smaller rural during an with which these events occur.”iv In general, many municipalities struggle to properly emergency First Nations experience staff and fiscal capacity resource emergency management, shortages that are accentuated during disasters. and face infrastructure challenges Many rural First Nations do not have basic infrastruc- such as broadband connection ture to respond to disasters. This can range from issues, which has created additional v mitigation infrastructure to prevent or reduce the challenges during COVID-19. impacts of flooding, to having fire hydrants to fight The direct relationship with wildfires. Some examples of the impacts of inade- provincial/territorial governments quate infrastructure: results in simpler and more • In the case of COVID-19, the lack of broadband structured supports during disasters, infrastructure in many First Nation communities such as provincially run EOCs. resulted in greater obstacles to residents and businesses than experienced in communities with consistent access to internet • Lack of fire hydrants and other infrastructure creates challenges for First Nations to properly access insurance for buildings and other infrastructure • Inadequate and overcrowded housing during COVID-19 increases vulnerability • Limited access to health and emergency services increases vulnerability • Disrupted supply chains and restricted movement increases food insecurity

Responsibilities First Nations and municipalities have similar respon- Municipalities and First Nations to business/w sibilities to their business and industrial sectors. Eco- have similar responsibilities to their and citizens nomic development officials are the primary bridge business and industrial sectors. during and between the private sector and governments and are Economic development officials emergency responsible for supporting businesses and industry are the primary bridge between the through disasters and into recovery. private sector and governments First Nations have additional direct responsibilities and are responsible for supporting for the health and well-being of their citizens through businesses and industry through the operation of health authorities. In many cases, disasters and into recovery. First Nations are responsible for managing their on- Municipalities are not directly reserve health facilities, while this is not the case for responsible for the health outcomes municipalities. of their citizens, which is instead In addition, the complex health demographics in managed provincially through some First Nation communities require increased hospitals and health authorities. attention during health emergencies such as the Similarly, municipalities are able to COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the need to follow the lead of the provincial and focus on health outcomes, First Nations have in territorial re-opening strategies, many cases decided to delay re-opening their focusing efforts on economic communities compared to the broader municipal recovery, rather than directly on the timelines, which are based on provincial and health outcomes of their citizens. territorial re-opening strategies.

i Library of Parliament, page 2. iv Library of Parliament, page 1. ii Library of Parliament, page 8. v See FCM’s advocacy on rural broadband. iii See Canadian Business Resilience Network

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Appendix 2: Case Studies

Case Study 1: Preparedness Nuxalk Nation–Central Coast Regional District–Emergency Management British Columbia Partnership

With a commitment to collaborate, they began discussions with EMBC about coordinating emergency preparedness planning. In March 2019, they signed BC’s firstMemorandum of Understanding to “lead and co-ordinate emergency management planning by addressing any emergency preparedness, response, recovery or mitigation gaps that have impacts beyond a single jurisdiction, providing oversight on high- level emergency management issues, and acting as a vehicle to bring other relevant stakeholders, provincial ministries, federal departments and Jennifer Rice, MLA for North Coast and Parliamentary Indigenous communities together to collaborate Secretary for Emergency Preparedness, Chief on emergency management initiatives.” Their Councillor Wally Webber, Nuxalk Nation, and Samuel MOU will be implemented by an emergency Schooner, Chair of the Central Coast Regional District coordinator, accountable to a joint steering and Councillor for Nuxalk Nation celebrate the signing of their MOU, 2019. committee of representatives from each of the three signatories. During the BC wildfires in 2017, the Central Coast Regional District (CCRD) and Nuxalk These partners have begun to advocate Nation partnered informally on response and for policy changes regarding the federal recovery; this experience highlighted the need funding gap to First Nations for emergency to address the jurisdictional gaps impeding their management, critical for addressing governance ability to effectively prepare for and respond and capacity challenges. This partnership to disasters together. The primary issue was has established a model for other regions communication barriers between Emergency to emulate in proactively addressing the Management British Columbia (EMBC) and jurisdictional gap between First Nations and Nuxalk, which impacted Nuxalk’s ability to municipalities and increasing regional resilience contribute to response and recovery activities. to future emergencies. Samuel Schooner, As a first step, Nuxalk and CCRD began to Chair of the CCRD, stressed the importance address challenges in their shared past and of the strengthened relationships and his develop honest and respectful relationships confidence that this partnership will evolve into between councils and staff. collaboration in other areas of shared interest.

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Case Study 2: Response Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission COVID-19 Regional Economic Recovery Task Force & Regional Response Action Team

The Central Okanagan Economic Development The Regional Economic Recovery Task Force Commission (COEDC) has provided economic (RERTF) is comprised of the head elected official development services to regional municipalities from each participating community and has and the Westbank First Nation for over 15 years, two goals: to coordinate advocacy for recovery which has cultivated a culture of economic resources to federal and provincial governments development collaboration. In quick response and to coordinate the development of an to COVID-19, the Regional District of Central economic recovery strategy. The RERTF receives Okanagan (RDCO), Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake institutional support from both COEDC staff and Country, Peachland, and Westbank First Nation the Regional Response Action Team (RRAT), a leveraged this existing partnership to coordinate team of senior economic development staff from their economic response and recovery. the communities and other key stakeholders (for

21 ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE: A GUIDE FOR FIRST NATION–MUNICIPAL COLLABORATION

more details, see their Terms of Reference). The by sector. Regional coordination has allowed RRAT’s primary objective is to support business each partner to focus on their community’s needs, and industry in weathering the storm of COVID-19. share resources, avoid duplication of services Together, the RERTF and RRAT focus on and contribute to regional recovery. According “measures for a coordinated short-term response, to those involved, the speed and effectiveness of medium-term recovery and long-term resilience- the joint response would not have been possible building activities.” without the existing relationships developed over the previous 15 years. These communities The communities have moved quickly in have been able to act quickly, leveraging existing conducting roundtables with business and relationships and structures to coordinate an industry and are providing succinct and accessible effective response and recovery plan and prepare summaries of the economic impacts and forecast themselves to access future stimulus funding.

Case Studies 3: Recovery Sawridge First Nation, Town of Slave Lake, Municipal District of Lesser Slave River Partnership

Responding to and recovering from massive reeve went for dinner and directly addressed the wildfires in northern Alberta have created challenges they were facing. They recognized strong partnerships between First Nations the need to build their relationships to co- and municipalities. Prior to the 2011 wildfires, manage the economic recovery effectively. Sawridge First Nation, the Town of Slave Lake, and the MD of Lesser Slave River did not As part of their relationship-building process, have a culture of collaboration or partnership. the Tri-Council developed a consensus-style Following the wildfires, the Government of decision-making structure that shifted their Alberta convened the three communities and approach from competition to collaboration encouraged them to create the Slave Lake (details on page 115 of the CEDI Stronger Regional Tri-Council to jointly manage over $60 Together Toolkit). The elected leadership million in recovery funds. After struggling to described the shift as “no longer keeping score” work effectively together, the chief, mayor, and and accepted that not all recovery initiatives would benefit everyone equally and decided to support one another’s prosperity. They jointly funded, hired, and managed a staff person to lead the recovery efforts. Nine years after the disaster, the Tri-Council continues to meet, the communities continue to develop an ever-closer relationship, and they feel prepared to capitalize on joint opportunities when they arise. Working together is the new way of doing business, with substantial positive outcomes for each community. Further details of the Town of Slave Mayor Warman, Chief Twinn, Reeve Kerik celebrate Lake’s experience in the economic recovery can the signing of the Friendship Accord between their communities, 2014. be found in their Wisdom Gained report.

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Dene Tha’ First Nation and Town of High Level Partnership

Having invested in strengthening their relationship and having diverse and representative voices at the table through their formal joint working group, this partnership was well positioned to collaborate on economic recovery after the wildfires. After identifying key areas for enhancing collaborative preparedness and resilience, this partnership prioritized three initiatives: developing an integrated regional emergency response plan to help address the jurisdictional and capacity gap in future emergencies; co-designing and building a multi- use evacuation/recreation centre that integrates feedback on the cultural needs of Dene Tha’ community members and elders; and, extending Rodney Schmidt, Director of Protective Services the water line from High Level to Dene Tha’s and Fire Chief, Town of High Level recognizes the neighbouring community of Bushe River. leadership of Chief James Ahnassay, Dene Tha’ First Nation during the Chuckegg Creek wildfires, 2019. This partnership jointly hired a consultant to In the summer of 2019, the Chuckegg Creek create a joint emergency preparedness plan, wildfire forced the evacuation of many beginning with an educational workshop and communities in northwestern Alberta, including hazard identification and risk assessment for the three Dene Tha’ First Nation communities the four communities. Continuing to grow the and the Town of High Level. At that time, these partnership and capacity for joint planning will communities had already been working together ensure they are prepared to respond to stimulus for a year through the CEDI program. With the funding from other orders of government and shared experience and lessons learned from the their joint initiatives will result in greater health evacuations, the partnership shifted the focus and wellness outcomes for all. of their joint work to collaborative emergency management planning.