Less prepared. More Risk.
Cuts to forecasting, hazard tracking, and emergency alerts are making Canada less prepared for wildfires, floods, oil spills, and other disasters.
Cuts are weakening Canada’s emergency preparedness
As wildfires, floods, and climate emergencies become more frequent, Canada should be strengthening preparedness – not scaling it back. Instead, federal cuts are dismantling scientific teams that track wildfires, floods, landslides, and other hazards. These experts provide the data that emergency responders and governments rely on to keep communities safe.
Critical warning systems are also being lost. The shutdown of 24/7 Weatheradio removes a reliable alert system, especially for remote areas. People are being told to rely on apps and internet alerts, but connectivity often fails in disasters. The 2022 Rogers outage left millions without service– now imagine that during a wildfire or flood. Marine emergency response capacity is also being reduced, narrowing the window to act during oil spills and other disasters. When warnings are missed and response is delayed, risk grows. Cuts like these don’t improve efficiency— they increase risk.
Cuts to critical preparedness systems make us less safe
When preparedness is weakened, systems break down. Alerts fail, hazard data disappears, and response slows when minutes matter. These are the tools that prevent disasters from becoming crises. From wildfire tracking to flood mapping, gaps are already emerging. Here’s what’s at stake:
Weaker alerts
Less hazard tracking
Slower response
