On December 20, 2022 the President of the Treasury Board of Ontario amended Ontario Regulation 380/04 by amending section 3 (by adding subsection 7.1) and section 12 (by adding subsection 6.1).

The changes allow for the group not to be required to conduct the annual practice exercise in a year, if the group directed the ministry’s response in an emergency during that year, and the emergency lasted for at least 48 hours. If the group implemented the ministry’s emergency plan and the group’s procedures to respond to an emergency during that year; and the group complies with any other requirements that may be specified by the Chief of Emergency Management Ontario.

Note that Ontario Regulation 380/04 sets out the Ministry and Municipal Standards. These standards include designating an Emergency Management Program Coordinator and an Emergency Information Officer. Every municipality is to have a program committee, a Control Group with an established Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and an Emergency Response Plan.

*Source: Ontario (597/22) December 20, 2022.