Good afternoon, Mr. Chair, members of the committee. I will be brief.
Canadian communities are increasingly at risk from both natural and human-induced disasters, and we recommend that the Government of Canada must support the ongoing development of disaster-resilient communities by providing funding for disaster mitigation programs and activities.
International studies have shown that a federal investment in mitigation programs saves federal funds in the long term. Stakeholders are looking for federal leadership, and successive governments have committed publicly to developing a national disaster mitigation strategy. In 2005, the federal-provincial-territorial ministers' eight-point action plan highlighted national disaster mitigation as a priority.
In the United States, the Multihazard Mitigation Council released an independent study to assess the future savings from mitigation activities. This study concluded that mitigation activities and programs have benefited society by reducing direct property damage, direct business interruption, indirect business interruption, non-market damage, human losses, and the cost of emergency response.
In the United States it is estimated that a dollar spent on mitigation saves society an average of four dollars. Despite its apparent value, however, mitigation remains the least developed component of Canadian disaster management policy. Fortunately, mitigation is widely accepted within Canada's disaster management policy community, and there has been strong endorsement by academics, public officials, and private sector actors. There has already been extensive consultation with stakeholders and interested parties, and these have revealed a broad base of support for a national disaster mitigation strategy.
The Government of Canada is positioned to play a pivotal role in promoting, coordinating, and supporting disaster mitigation.
The Canadian Centre for Emergency Preparedness, after extensive consultation and research into this subject matter, makes the following two recommendations, which are consistent with the Multihazard Mitigation Council study. The recommendations are that the federal government first financially invest in mitigation activities and programs as a matter of policy on an ongoing basis, both before a disaster occurs and through federally funded disaster recovery and rebuilding activities and programs; and secondly, financially support mitigation activities and programs that will increase the resilience of communities by increasing knowledge and promoting institutional commitments to mitigation at the local level.
In closing, I'd like to quote from the late President John F. Kennedy:
There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.
Thank you for the opportunity to present.