Toronto Emergency Management (TEM), formerly the Toronto Office of Emergency Management, is a municipal division and office of emergency management for the City of Toronto responsible for coordinating emergency preparedness, response, and recovery efforts for the municipal government in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Toronto Emergency Management helps to coordinate the city's emergency response and recovery efforts through various city divisions and agencies, provincial and federal governments, non-governmental organizations, and private sector partners, to ensure the city is prepared to handle natural disasters, public health emergencies, technological incidents, and other crises. It is also responsible for the City’s Emergency Plan and the Emergency Operations Centre.[1]
The evolution of emergency management in Toronto is reported to have begun as early as 1832, during the First Great Cholera Outbreak, where Toronto organized its first ambulance service, followed by police services in 1834.[2] Following the devastating effects of Hurricane Hazel that same year, the Metropolitan Toronto Council approved creation of the new Civil Defense Organization in 1955,[2] under the leadership of Toronto Mayor Leslie H. Saunders. In 1966, staff from the Toronto Emergency Measures Organization and the Toronto Department of Public Health transferred to form the new Department of Metropolitan Toronto Emergency Services.
In 1974, reductions in federal emergency measures funding results in the decline and eventual disbanding of the Metropolitan Toronto Emergency Services Department. Following the brief ownership of emergency measures planning by Toronto Police, the Metropolitan Toronto Emergency Planning Committee was formally established in 1979, followed by the first edition of the new Metropolitan Toronto Emergency Plan being published in 1980.[2]
In 1998, following amalgamation, Works and Emergency Services Department established the Toronto Emergency Planning Office, which inherited ownership for emergency management planning and administration of the Toronto Emergency Planning Committee.[2] In 2001, a new Emergency Operations Centre was established.
In 2010, the Toronto Office of Emergency Management was reorganized, moved out of Technical Services and has since reported directly to the Deputy City Manager under new directorship. [2]
Toronto Emergency Management is governed by the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 59,[3] as well as Ontario's Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA). The EMCPA specifies that all municipalities in the province of Ontario shall "develop and implement an emergency management program and adopt it through by-law".[4] An emergency management program must consist of:
The EMCPA further specifies requirements for assessing hazards and risks, training programs to ensure readiness, exercise requirements, and review of the emergency plan on an annual basis.[4]
Toronto Emergency Management is led by the Executive Director, who is responsible for overseeing the department's strategic initiatives, policy development, and operational preparedness.[5] Directors and Managers then oversee the individual program areas staffed by Emergency Management Coordinators.[5]
These program areas include:
According to the Toronto's Emergency Plan, emergencies in Toronto are categorized into three primary hazard types:
The top 10 risks facing Toronto include:
Toronto Emergency Management coordinates the City of Toronto’s emergency response efforts in collaboration with emergency services such as the Toronto Police Service, Toronto Fire Services, and Toronto Paramedic Services, as well as other city divisions, agencies, and corporations. While routine incidents are managed independently by these organizations, larger-scale emergencies may require additional coordination and resources. In such cases, the City’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) can be activated to provide centralized support and oversight. When necessary, the City may request mutual aid from neighboring municipalities under existing agreements or seek assistance from the provincial government for financial and physical resources to manage the emergency’s impacts effectively.[6]
Emergency response in Toronto is guided by the Toronto Emergency Plan and supported by additional Emergency Support Functions and Risk-Specific Plans.
The primary objectives of Toronto Emergency Management's response efforts are to mitigate the impacts of emergencies on people, property, and financial resources.[3] To achieve this, Emergency Operations Centre staff ensure that all aspects of the response follow a standardized set of goals, prioritized as follows:
The Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is the central facility where the City of Toronto coordinates its strategic response to emergencies. It is responsible for managing resources, personnel, and incident information, ensuring a well-organized and effective response to emergencies.[3] The EOC works in tandem with any on-site command structure, offering additional coordination, support, resource management, and information management, rather than replacing the need for direct command at the incident site.
Toronto Emergency Management coordinates emergency response with the following divisions, agencies, and corporations within the Toronto Public Service:[3]
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