The Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) is thrilled to introduce the “Municipal Resilience Toolkit: Strategies for Crisis Management”, a comprehensive resource designed to empower municipalities in effectively managing crises. Now available to members by visiting the Member’s Section (Toolkit Section) of the CAMA website.
“This toolkit serves as a cornerstone for Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs), Council members, and senior administration in municipalities” said Tony Kulbisky, CAMA President and CAO for Westlock County, AB. “By focusing on proactive crisis management, it underscores the significance of collaboration and coordination among municipal departments, emergency services, non-profits, and community organizations. In today’s ever-changing landscape, it also demonstrates CAMA’s commitment to equipping municipal leaders with the tools necessary to safeguard their communities.”
Key highlights include:
- Comprehensive Crisis Coverage: Addressing a wide array of crises beyond natural disasters, such as economic downturns, communication breakdowns, social unrest, misconduct, and data breaches, ensuring municipalities are prepared for any challenge.
- Stages of Municipal Crisis Management: Providing a step-by-step approach from prevention and mitigation to recovery and learning, guiding municipalities through the development of a robust crisis management program tailored to their needs.
- Effective Crisis Communication: Stressing the importance of timely and transparent communication, the toolkit assists municipalities in crafting crisis communication plans and utilizing various communication methods to disseminate critical information.
- Canadian Context: Canadian examples have been used throughout this resource to provide local relevance, with links to further resources for deeper exploration of specific topics.
- Practical Checklists: Each chapter concludes with actionable checklists for readers to compare with their internal processes, facilitating the implementation of the toolkit's principles.
“This toolkit represents the collective effort of CAMA members and industry experts dedicated to equipping municipalities with the tools and strategies necessary to navigate and be prepared for challenges with confidence”, said Mike Dolter, Chair of the Committee/Representative for Nova Scotia & PEI and CAO for the Town of Truro, NS. “It’s scope is far beyond climate-related crisis – it addresses any crises a municipality may encounter.”
The Board Toolkit Taskforce that worked on this project in collaboration with consultant Transitional Solutions Inc., included the following CAMA members:
• Mike Dolter, Chair, CAMA Board Representative for Nova Scotia & PEI
• Bev Hendry, CAMA Past President
• Jamie Nagy, CAMA Board Representative for Manitoba & Saskatchewan
• Raffaelle Di Stasio, CAMA Board Representative for Québec
• Sheila Bassi-Kellett, CAMA Board Representative for Northwest Territories, Yukon Territory, and Nunavut
• The late Rodney Cumby, former CAMA Board Representative for Newfoundland & Labrador
Watch for Provincial and Territorial legislative requirements that are also noted throughout the Toolkit.
Got questions? Want more information? Contact Jennifer Goodine, Executive Director, CAMA National Office, 1-866-771-2262, admin@camacam.ca.