The Ontario government is investing $10 million in emergency preparedness grants to expand the reach and impact of Ontario Corps, a growing network of volunteer and professional response teams across the province.
Announced July 21 by the Ministry of Emergency Preparedness and Response, the funding will support 13 newly added Ontario Corps partners. The money will help these organisations purchase vital equipment such as emergency food kits, drones, GPS units, portable shelters, and satellite phones, while also training volunteers for rapid response deployment.
Minister Jill Dunlop said the investment is part of Premier Doug Ford’s broader plan to ensure communities are better prepared to respond to floods, wildfires, ice storms, and other emergencies. “We’re investing in made-in-Ontario solutions to support local responders when and where they’re needed most,” said Dunlop.
Ontario Corps includes partners such as The Salvation Army, Feed Ontario, Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex, St. John Ambulance, Ontario 211, GlobalMedic, and the Ontario Search and Rescue Volunteer Association (OSARVA), among others.
During the ice storm earlier this year, Ontario Corps members volunteered over 6,000 hours, cleared trees, provided more than 3,700 meals and conducted over 4,100 wellness checks across affected communities.
The Ontario Corps initiative is coordinated by the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre and can deploy personnel and equipment province-wide within 24 to 72 hours. Ontario is also advancing the Emergency Management Modernization Act to make the Corps a permanent part of the province’s disaster response plan.
More partner organisations are expected to join in the coming months.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
