:
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
It's interesting to see me on the other side. In my presentation, people will see me in a somewhat different, and not at all partisan, light. Trees aren't partisan.
[English]
Thank you very much for inviting me and Michael to be here. I am not a tree expert, but I like trees. I know how important they are to people. They help clean the atmosphere. They help people in communities feel better. They provide shade for people. There is a number of really good things about trees that we all endorse.
Tree Canada was formed, interestingly enough, a long time ago in 1992 by government action. The government funded an organization to plant trees. We have since morphed from an organization dependent on government money to an organization that is almost now exclusively financed by the private sector.
The very interesting things that people do.... I'm part of a community of 140 houses, and this fall we are planting 29 edible trees. This will produce way more fruit and edible nuts than we could ever eat. We're partnered with a group called Hidden Harvest Ottawa, which will help with the harvest and redistribute the food.
Since 1992, we have planted more than 82 million trees. We average more than 300,000 trees a year, all almost exclusively funded by the private sector.
As you might expect, the association gets calls from you and from groups all over the country asking about trees and what is happening and what can be done. We employ a large number of foresters who are experts in the field. Whenever I go and do something for Tree Canada, I'm always well supported by an expert. If you have easy questions, they come to me. If you hard questions, they go to the experts.
Our expert today is the president of Tree Canada, who has been with us a long time and who knows about trees.
Mike.
:
Thank you very much, Mr. Duguay.
I'm very pleased to be here with you.
[English]
My name is Mike Rosen. I'm the president of Tree Canada. I'm also a registered professional forester in Ontario, so I have some background knowledge. I've worked for 35 years in forestry, one way or the other.
Thank you so much for inviting us here to talk to you. What I want to talk to you about today is the dilemma that Canadians face. We're stewards of 10% of the world's forests. We are the forest nation. It's very important for our country, yet we're a very urban people. Over 82% of Canadians now live in cities and towns. This is the dilemma that we at Tree Canada try to wrestle with, if you will. It's how to reflect trees into the lives of people who are essentially urban people.
The committee had asked us to come in and speak about forest pests. I do want to touch briefly on those, because you've asked me specifically about the mountain pine beetle and the spruce budworm.
The mountain pine beetle is an interesting one for us, because it's a native insect that normally was controlled by low temperatures in the winter. We don't get those temperatures anymore. We get hot summers as well. It's meant that we've had a proliferation of mountain pine beetles beginning in 1996 in British Columbia. It absolutely decimated the lodgepole pine population of British Columbia. Then it crossed into the Rockies in 2006 and entered into Alberta. We were really lucky because we worked with the Province of Alberta on a program to actually replace residential trees on private land that were killed as a result of the mountain pine beetle.
There are a number of things that can be done to try to limit the infestation of the mountain pine beetle but it's incredibly difficult, just as it's difficult with the spruce budworm. Spruce budworm is another native insect. It functions on a 35- to 40-year cycle, but it's really predicated on mature balsam fir, overmature balsam fir. Unfortunately, balsam fir is not a tree that a lot of mills like to use. It's an underutilized species, if you will.
There are some things that the industry can do to protect trees until they're ready to harvest, but it's mainly a stop-gap measure. It's really an insect that ecologically has a purpose in the forest and is on a cyclical basis.
The other thing that I was asked to talk to you about today, though, was actually the Canadian urban forest strategy. Tree Canada was part of a larger effort that was called the national forest strategy. It went from 1988 to 2008. It was a government NGO effort that really tried to show the world that Canada is moving towards forest sustainability. In the last iteration of that strategy, urban forests were included. When the national forest strategy was not renewed after 2008, Tree Canada picked up the ball with respect to the Canadian urban forest strategy, and we have kept that alive to date.
We interact with 950 urban forest professionals across the country in implementing and keeping alive the Canadian urban forest strategy. What's interesting for you as a committee is that the words “urban forestry” were actually invented by a Canadian. Dr. Erik Jorgensen, in 1974, at the University of Toronto, coined this term, which was totally oxymoronic until recently. People could not put the two words “urban” and “forestry” together. It's only lately that people really get it. Now we have a proliferation of groups across the country, like Trees London, GreenHere and Soverdi, that are working to keep our cities and communities green.
The irony I want to tell you about is that unlike every other G8 nation, we really don't have urban forestry reflected at a federal level. It's really been relegated to that of the municipalities. It's in stark contrast to our friends to the south, the United States, that have, at the deputy minister level, someone actually responsible for urban forests. There are a number of historical reasons for that, but it's something that we would really like to see remedied.
We don't have to tell you how important cities are. No matter how you look at it, environmentally we need trees in our cities. People are living in our cities. Besides that, there is an economic piece to this as well. We have to attract the best companies and the best minds to our cities in Canada. We're up against all the other cities of the world. Industry wants to locate their workers in a place that is green and welcoming, and we feel that trees obviously add to that. I just want to get the point across that the tree piece is not just an aesthetic piece. It's also something that has to do with livelihoods as well.
There are many problems occurring in our urban forests. They've actually been in decline in the last 20 years. Our Crown cover has been going down in the last 20 years, and we really want to see that remedied. There are a number of things that we could be doing, but the main point that I want to leave you with is that whether it's Dutch elm disease, emerald ash borer or whatever that is invading our urban forests, we need the help of the federal government to do that.
I'll pass it over to Léo.
:
Mr. Chair and members of the committee, thank you very much for the opportunity to appear before you this morning.
While I understand your focus is that of forest pests, I will point out that I'm not an expert in the relationship between forest pests and quantifying the subsequent fuel loading for wildland fires. However, I can say with confidence that one only need look at the province of British Columbia in both 2017 and 2018 and the increased fire intensity in those areas affected by the mountain pine beetle. I would also further point out that in Ontario, in 2018, some of the areas that burned had been damaged by the spruce budworm.
I want to focus my time this morning on the increasing wildland fire problem in Canada, which is relatable to the increased fuels that are presented by the forest pests, and the challenges associated with our ability to respond.
Canada is experiencing increased incidence and intensity in the occurrence of wildland fire. As the impacts of climate change grow, fire size and severity are likely to increase and the fire seasons will become longer. At the same time, more human activity is taking place in the forests, creating greater consequences for the social and economic health and safety of Canadians.
Recently, we've experienced record-breaking temperatures on four continents. Wildfire seasons in Canada are longer, wildfires are increasing in size and intensity, and wildfire-related impacts are changing at an alarming rate.
Provincial states of emergency related to wildfires were declared in Saskatchewan in 2015, in Alberta in 2016, and in British Columbia in both 2017 and 2018. Since 2011, approximately 175,000 people were evacuated from Canadian communities due to wildland fire. Public health, communities, infrastructure, environment and the economy are also affected. Since 2015, suppression resources have been fully committed nationally, and international assistance was required. This trend will continue.
While the statistics have not been totally compiled for the 2018 wildland fire season, intuitively I can tell you, from our organization, that we know new records will be set in terms of multiple provinces and territories being challenged at the same time, namely in 2018: Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia.
Pan-Canadian and international resource sharing of personnel and equipment is an annual requirement. Since 2015, Canada has imported around 2,000 highly trained and experienced human resources from international partners to address the demands of our increased wildland fire activities.
Wildland fire is a wildfire management, public safety, public health, climate change and community issue, with indigenous, rural and remote communities being particularly vulnerable to the changing climate.
In 2005, the Canadian wildland fire strategy was signed and approved by all levels of government in Canada. Unfortunately, the financial commitment envisioned in the strategy was not realized, and while some incremental progress was made, the progress fell far short of what was required. Fortunately, in 2016, the strategy was refreshed and renewed and is now the focus of the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers, who agreed recently in Halifax to accelerate its implementation, but the urgency of this implementation cannot be overstressed as the impacts of climate change become more apparent in Canada and the goalposts continue to move.
Transformative change is required. There is an urgent need by all Canadians to fully implement the Canadian wildland fire strategy and to do so with great haste. This will definitely involve the federal government.
I thank you very much for this opportunity to address your committee.
:
Thank you, all, for being here today.
I'll pick up again with Mr. Connors.
I first want to thank you and all the firefighting agencies across the country for the work you do. I'm from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia and we've had a tough go of it three out of the last four years. You mentioned the last two years especially. If we didn't have actual flames in our backyard, it was thick smoke.
I had the opportunity in the middle of July to tour the major air support base in Penticton that does air support for the southern part of the province. They hadn't had too much work up to then but while I was touring the planes and actually sitting in a cockpit, the alarm bells went off and I got out of their way. I think they didn't have a minute off until the end of August after that.
I know you've said that you don't have that expertise with the pests and I would just say that a lot of the fires were in mountain pine beetle-affected areas and I'm still waiting to see the reports and the science on that. There's some indication, I read this summer, that certainly when trees are red, still with dead needles, there's obviously increased risk.
When you have 58% of the lodgepole pine trees killed in B.C., it's kind of by chance you're going to see a lot of the fires in those areas. I'll leave it there because that's not your expertise.
I wanted to ask you about something, and maybe you can say I don't know this either. In terms of looking to the future, in British Columbia we have the forest devastated in the interior by mountain pine beetles and now by fires, and we're obviously facing a period now where we have to rebuild those forests, replant. I'm just wondering if you have any thoughts about that process or whether the firefighting agencies are involved in those plans for the future in terms of how are we going to design those forests to make them more fire resistant?
:
The city of Toronto encompasses an area of 630 square kilometres with a population of 2.8 million. Urban forestry is a branch within the division of parks, forestry and recreation, responsible for providing services of maintenance, planting and protection of the urban forest. These services are delivered to areas including parks and natural open spaces as well as streetscapes.
Urban forestry's policy and planning section provides support to the division in environmental policy development, asset and work management administration, council reporting and other services. Approximately 350 staff work in the Toronto urban forestry division.
Forest health care is a service that is provided as part of urban forest maintenance. Forest health care practitioners respond to queries from residents about city tree health concerns, many of which are aesthetic in nature, but some of which are real health issues.
The forest health care group at the city also proactively develops and manages programs for pest management, from pest surveillance to treatment, monitoring and communication. This small team of seven people has developed tools that are required for pest management. They have a history of working with partners such as the Canadian Forest Service, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Ministry of Natural Resources, other municipal groups, university researchers and other agencies. These partnerships have been essential in supporting the management of forest pests in Toronto.
Native insects and diseases play an essential ecological role in Canada's forests. However, native and non-native insects and diseases can become significant pests when infestations are so severe they destroy or damage large areas of forest or infest Canadian forest products that are bound for export. Mountain pine beetle, spruce budworm, European gypsy moth and Dutch elm disease are examples of well-known forest pests that have led to significant economic impacts on Canadian forests.
The City of Toronto currently invests approximately $2.5 million annually in forest pest—insect and disease—management programs as part of an overall forest management budget of $68.7 million. Between the years of 2010 and 2018 the City of Toronto invested over $70 million to manage the emerald ash borer problem.
In addition to the ongoing pest management programs and extension services, we perform surveillance for pests that represent a future threat including the hemlock woolly adelgid, sudden oak death, oak wilt, thousand cankers disease and butternut canker. The population of trees associated with these pests in Toronto is small, an estimated 2.5% of the total tree population in Toronto, but the impact associated with the loss of native tree species diversity and the associated flora and fauna communities is of great concern.
There is a social connection to trees that elicits emotions that go far beyond what industry, biologists and real estate agents might see in the value of a tree. The black oaks in High Park, the red oaks in Toronto's neighbourhoods such as Baby Point, the Beaches and Moore Park, and the hemlocks of Toronto's ravines all have a value that is not easily described in environmental or financial terms.
The rally to save the oak tree on Coral Gable Drive in North York is testament to the emotional connection that some residents develop with trees. Urbanites as well as rural landowners are significant stakeholders of Canada's forests, and it's important that we support forest health programs, particularly surveillance and education in all communities, especially where local taxes are insufficient to provide these services.
The federal government through the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has a vital role in the establishment of eradication protocols. Toronto has worked closely with CFIA through the 14 years of Asian long-horned beetle eradication as well as in the early days of emerald ash borer infestation. Toronto participated actively in surveys, and we have also supported research activities to develop early detection tools and to enhance the knowledge base of host dynamics.
When the Asian long-horned beetle was first introduced to Toronto, very little was known about which host species the beetle would infest and successfully breed in. As a result, many trees were cut unnecessarily because they were considered potential pest hosts. Now after years of collaborative research, we have a much better understanding not only of the host species, but also of the dispersal patterns and the best way to complete early detection surveys, as well as how to manage an effective survey team over a long period of time.
Toronto supported this research by providing labour and equipment to collect samples and providing space for a rearing facility. The partnership was mutually beneficial in supporting the evolution of the pest eradication program, and will result in a more effective, less costly program of eradication if and when a new infestation is discovered in Canada.
A scientist expert with the Canadian forestry service led a team of science and subject matter experts from Natural Resources Canada, CFIA, MNR, the U.S., universities, as well as municipalities and conservation authorities to guide the eradication program. It proved to be very effective model to guide the eradication of Asian long-horned beetle.
While the role of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in defining eradication protocols is clear, the transition from eradication to pest management is not. In the case of the emerald ash borer, there was a lack of support for management activities on the level of guidance as well as funding. There's a clear need for more effective delivery of training and management plans to address a range of pests, plans that can be applied to all forms of land type, including Crown land, provincial or national park and conservation land, municipally owned land and private land. Currently, the mandate for defining such management falls to the landowner. In some cases, landowners have qualified staff to assist in developing site-specific plans, but in other cases this expertise is lacking. The management is left to service providers, such as arborists and forest service companies hired on contract, or to “do it yourself” property owners.
There is a case to be made that government could provide more guidance for management activities to direct pruning, tree removal or replacement, as well as disposal. As an example, seasonal pruning restrictions would help reduce the spread of oak wilt, yet documents from the government agencies are primarily focused on identification. Ongoing training opportunities should be available and delivered regionally in workshops or via web-based services.
The Canadian forestry service has provided essential support for the development of pest control products, including TreeAzin and Bacillus thuringiensis, both of which are used by the City of Toronto [Technical difficulty—Editor] and gypsy moth. It's important that the Canadian forestry service continue to support the development of such products.
Forest pests do not recognize municipal, provincial or international boundaries. Federal government scientists are well positioned to coordinate research for pests that are considered a high risk to Canadian forests. The development of science teams is critical in the early stages of pest management to make recommendations for effective prevention and early eradication programs. These teams can also inform management plans that will take effect if eradication is not successful or within regulated areas that are very large.
The science committee that was formed to manage ALHB was extremely effective in elevating the knowledge through support for targeted research and collaborative management. This model is one that should be repeated in advance of new pest introductions. The federal and provincial government experts could lead a group of subject matter experts to collaborate on developing pest management and guiding required research programs.
The importance of collaboration cannot be overstated. Municipalities are not well positioned to lead such collaborative groups, although we do contribute practical knowledge, provide arboricultural services to facilitate research, and assist in programs such as surveillance or engaging the public in educational initiatives. It's critical that different levels of government work together.
With regard to changing weather, our future weather is projected to change. A Toronto report called “Toronto's Future Weather and Climate Driver Study” identified estimated change from the period 2000 to 2009, 40 years into the future. They identified things like maximum precipitation increase in one day from 66 millimetres to 166 millimetres; maximum daily temperature increases from 33°C to 44°C; number of days with temperatures less than -10°C changing from 25 to zero days; and number of days with temperatures greater than 24°C changing from 10 days to 180 days, meaning that significantly more air conditioning will be required.
While it's recognized that the impact of these changes will be significant to Toronto residents, the impact on forest health is largely unknown. As an example, the population of gypsy moth has been controlled naturally in the past, when extreme cold temperatures in the winter months contributed to winter mortality of egg masses. In future, the temperatures will not be cold enough to cause mortality, and forest health practitioners will rely on biological controls or continued spray programs to control the pest.
It's important to support research into predicting, for example, pest movement, expanded host ranges, and changes in pest and host dynamics. In times when there is political pressure for reduced government regulation, it is important that the federal government retain programs for research. In a time of significant ecological and climate change, we need to develop tools for the management of new pests. It's also important to support the approval of new technologies, such as the use of drones to apply ultra-low volume spray.
I recently read in the Globe and Mail an article that referred to our inability to perceive incremental change as one of humanity's greatest weaknesses. Biologists identify that each generation grows accustomed to a diminished ecosystem. Our concept of biological abundance is constantly being downgraded without anyone noticing. My generation has never seen American chestnut. My kids will probably not remember Canada's ash trees, and they will only remember the oaks and squirrels that once dominated their outdoor universe.
If we don't remember what's being lost, such as camping under the hemlocks in Algonquin Park, will we recognize the importance of protecting the landscape after the hemlocks die, to ensure that the site is able to recover to a future forest? History tells us that most people will not, unless we help them to see the changes over time. It's only through effective collaboration and support for environmental education that we can help Canadians to appreciate the remarkably diverse elements of the natural landscapes that exist in Canada.
:
Thank you very much. I'm very pleased to be here.
[English]
When it comes to emergency management, the federal government is responsible at the national level and on lands and properties under federal responsibility. Provincial and territorial governments exercise responsibility for emergency management within their respective jurisdictions, except where legislation allows for direct federal interventions or for shared responsibility. You can think about rail incidents, for instance.
[Translation]
The Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness is responsible for providing leadership relating to emergency management in Canada and ensuring a coordinated response to events affecting the national interest, including natural and human-induced disasters, as well as terrorism. Through the Government Operations Centre and our regional offices, we work closely with other federal departments and agencies, as well as provincial and territorial, emergency management organizations and other key partners, to ensure that impacts to people, property and infrastructure are minimized as much as possible.
[English]
The government operations centre is an interdepartmental organization that supports the minister in his leadership and coordination role in emergency measures. The GOC supports the coordination of federal responses to events affecting the national interest, including major forest fires. During a major forest fire, the GOC coordinates responses to the disaster in close collaboration with NGOs and other federal departments.
During the immediate response phase of an emergency event like a major forest fire, communities leverage existing service delivery capabilities within first nations, municipalities, provinces, territories and third party emergency management service providers such as the Canadian Red Cross.
Each year the government operations centre, in consultation with the provinces and territories, conducts a preliminary risk assessment of general trends expected for the upcoming fire season. This assessment is based on potential fire risks that are identified through Natural Resources Canada's modelling capabilities.
[Translation]
The Government Operations Centre engages key federal and provincial stakeholders in preparation for the upcoming season and prepares an annual Wildland Urban Interface Fire Season Contingency plan. In addition to the contingency plan, the Government Operations Centre establishes an event team to coordinate specific planning for the season, ensures arrangements are in place for access to earth observation resources, including satellite imagery, prepares for the provision of geomatics and imagery services that may be requested by federal, provincial and territorial partners and readies the government for potential requests for assistance from provinces, territories, and Indigenous Services Canada.
The Government Operations Centre maintains continuous communication throughout the fire season and, in the case of major wildfire events, shares situational awareness through timely and accurate reporting. The Government Operations Centre monitors these events on a 24/7 basis and shares a daily brief with partners to inform them of events of interest.
[English]
During the wildfire season, Natural Resources Canada and the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre coordinate the distribution of firefighting resources across the nation. CIFFC—and you heard about it—will also request international resources when needed. Indigenous Services Canada has a lead role in working with the provinces and territories regarding emergency management to ensure first nations communities receive necessary response and recovery services. During a wildfire event, Public Safety Canada works diligently to coordinate a response to the disaster in close collaboration with a wide range of partners, including the Canadian Red Cross.
Moving to the emergency management strategy, building on 's mandate commitment to work with provinces and territories, indigenous peoples and municipalities to develop a comprehensive action plan that allows Canada to better predict, prepare for and respond to weather-related emergencies and natural disasters, Public Safety Canada is working with partners to build a strategy that ensures all Canadians have access to the tools and resources they need before, during and after a disaster strikes, including wildland fires. After consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, we identified five strategic objectives for the emergency management strategy.
One is to enhance whole-of-society collaborations and governance to strengthen resilience. Another objective is to improve understanding and awareness of disaster risks to enable risk-informed decision-making in all sectors of society. Another is to increase whole-of-society disaster prevention and mitigation activities. Then there's enhancing preparedness activities to allow for better response capacity and coordination and foster the development of new capabilities. Finally, there's the objective to leverage lessons learned and best practices to enhance resilience, including building back better, or like my minister would say, building back better faster, to minimize the impact of future disasters.
[Translation]
Public Safety Canada, along with provinces and territories and in partnership with indigenous communities, will continue the work to advance this national vision for emergency management. In May, the federal, provincial and territorial Ministers Responsible for Emergency Management agreed that officials would accelerate the remaining consultations to ensure it reflects the views of their respective stakeholders so that ministers are in a position to approve and release the strategy in early 2019.
In May 2017, the ministers also agreed to work collaboratively with indigenous representatives and communities to develop an inventory of emergency management capability in indigenous communities across Canada.
[English]
Public Safety Canada, in partnership with the Assembly of First Nations and other national indigenous representatives, are co-developing the inventory of emergency management capabilities. The inventory will enable risk-informed decision-making by improving our understanding of existing emergency management challenges and resources in indigenous communities. Obviously, we're working very closely with Indigenous Services Canada.
More specifically, FPT ministers and indigenous leaders are committed to developing an inventory of risks facing indigenous communities, and to identifying emergency plans and capacities to address these risks. This approach, based on increased engagement, has been undertaken with the key principles of co-developing solutions—and I'm stressing co-developing solutions with indigenous leadership—that are sustainable, inclusive and culturally sensitive. The indigenous inventory project has brought many partners together to develop a methodology that will allow indigenous communities an opportunity to provide their perspectives on emergency management challenges that impact their communities, as well as community-led best practices that are considered success stories.
The project is in a piloting phase, and we'll be reaching out to select indigenous communities across Canada over the fall. We've been really busy this summer. We've met with about a dozen of them. The outcomes of the pilots will inform the broader pan-Canadian rollout in early 2019.
Despite improvements in federal response coordination, there is still significant modernization required in a broader emergency management system, in order to build resilience and enhance readiness in a climate-impacted future. As with most emergencies, while fires are managed at the local and provincial levels, when an emergency exceeds a province's capacity to respond, it may request federal assistance through the government operations centre, which coordinates the federal response to the events affecting national interests. Public Safety regional offices and the GOC works with the provinces to ensure that their needs are met, and that the safety and security of Canadians are safeguarded.
In 2017-18, first nations communities requested federal assistance, which was provided by the Canadian Armed Forces. In 2017, 25 first nations communities were evacuated, displacing over 1,900 people. In 2018 the same number of communities were evacuated, with greater numbers of evacuees, over 2,200. Federal assistance to the provinces is most visible when the Canadian Armed Forces assist. They have been on the ground, with soldiers helping with sandbagging and mop-up operations.
Other contributions from the federal government include imaging and geomatics services such as the national aerial surveillance program, or the provision of emergency supplies from the national emergency stockpile system. At the end of every wildfire season, the government operations centre leads a lessons-learned exercise with its partners to identify best practices and areas for improvement. The data collected from this process informs future planning processes.
Mr. Chair, I'm going to stop here.
:
I'm sorry if my presentation didn't highlight that. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has a clear role in regulating pest entry and taking on the responsibilities associated with eradication for a pest like Asian long-horned beetle. When it comes to management of the problem, there is not a clear role across the different land types based on ownership. That management falls to the land owner.
I think that the federal government could be helping to form some of the collaborative groups—the science committees, so to speak—for each of the different types of pests that are potentially going to enter and cause such significant damage.
As I said, in Toronto, the emerald ash borer was a $70-million problem for us to manage. As Canadians, we've lost an incredible part of our forest. Oak wilt is on the border of Canada. We have great concerns about what kind of impact that is going to have when it comes to Toronto, and Ontario as a whole. We feel there could be a committee struck now to help inform some of the things that we should be doing to stop it from coming into the country or to stop it from spreading. I mentioned things like pruning restrictions. Maybe those should be regulated, or maybe there needs to be more education for the public or for the industry to understand the danger associated with pruning an oak in the summer period when beetles are around and are at risk of infecting other trees.
I feel there could be more effort put into developing the management objectives that will help to reduce the spread, as well as simply the regulatory objectives that we have in place to try to stop the entry into the country.
I also mentioned the importance of Canadian scientists in helping to predict some of the changes and helping to develop tools like the biological pesticides that we currently use. TreeAzin is one that they helped develop. Other things like drones, as I mentioned, would be a lot cheaper than bringing [Technical difficulty—Editor] and spray an area.
Jozef, can you say the area in Toronto that we're...?
:
Thank you all for being here today.
I'm going to start with Mr. Tanguy and Mr. Christiansen.
First of all, I thank your department. Over the last few years, unfortunately, my riding has been the recipient of your help in probably three different years. In 2015, we had major fires in the south Okanagan and Rock Creek areas that unfortunately burned a lot of homes. We had a break in 2016, and then in 2017, we had floods in the Okanagan and fires in all sorts of places. This year, it's the same. We had a big flood in Grand Forks, which I know your department helped with, and the army came in to help there and that's still going on. There were a lot of fires as well. We are seeing this need for assistance from emergency management groups, and I thank you for that.
The modern version of this started in B.C. in 2003 with the Kelowna fire and fires in Louis Creek and Barriere that destroyed more than 300 houses. We had the Filmon firestorm report in 2003. This picks up on the FireSmart program that the province was supposed to take on. It provided money for municipalities and first nations but it was really just a drop in the bucket. I think the report identified some 13,000 square kilometres that needed to be treated and thinned to protect communities, and less than 7% has been done over the last 13 years or so.
Is this a place where the federal government can really play a role? You mentioned the disaster adaptation and mitigation fund, which I'm dealing with now with Grand Forks, because we need big money. With that fund, as I recall, you need to have a project of over $20 million and.... Is that something that municipalities can tap into for prevention of these emergencies? I thought it was a response type of fund. Just answer that question and I might expand on it later.