RURAL DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE KNOWLEDGE BRIEF 2021

Regional Adaptation Priority Theme Summary:

Neighbourhood Emergency Preparedness

The Rural Climate Adaptation Capacity Building Project, led by the Columbia

The Rural Climate Adaptation Capacity Building Project, led by the Columbia
Basin Rural Development Institute, at Selkirk College, works in partnership with
nine local governments in the Columbia Basin-Boundary region to advance
climate adaptation through regional-scale action and collaborative learning. This
series of knowledge briefs summarizes key themes addressed in activities and
training undertaken by the project’s regional network of local government-based
adaptation practitioners.
Emergency preparedness has been identified as a climate change adaptation priority for
Columbia Basin-Boundary local governments, with data showing that only about a third of
households maintain a 72-hour emergency kit1-6. While having necessary supplies and
infrastructure is imperative in emergencies, research shows that resilience is strengthened by
building place-based social connections with neighbours7. In other words, it matters who is in
your emergency kit, not just what is in your emergency kit. Residents of the Basin-Boundary
region generally have a strong foundation of social connections that contribute to community
resilience—72% of residents regularly chat with their neighbours8. With Columbia BasinBoundary communities facing an increasingly uncertain future, however, ensuring these
connections remain strong and continue to grow is more vital than ever before.

Using a Resilience Lens
Resilience is the ability to proactively respond and adapt to change, stress and uncertainty.
Traditional government-led emergency preparedness initiatives plan for short time frames and
focus on the risks and outcomes of known threats. Approaching emergency preparedness with a
resilience lens involves building long-term capacity to respond to change by engaging citizens

and working collaboratively across sectors to promote stronger relationships and pro-active
responses to risk9. Using a resilience lens allows communities to be stronger in the face of both
acute shocks and chronic stressors and to prepare for both expected and unexpected disasters
by creating a strong social network.

Building Resilient Communities
Resilient communities have a strong sense of connection to place, a can-do attitude, and a spirit
of mutual assistance. Neighbours are connected and are welcoming and encouraging of diversity.
These community attributes can be developed by fostering social connections.
A program called Connect and Prepare10 has been developed in Victoria with the intention of
connecting neighbours with each other to increase emergency preparedness while strengthening
place-based social connections. The program empowers neighbourhood champions to organize a
group that participates in three facilitated resilience building workshops and then implements
preparedness-related team projects (e.g., block parties, shared emergency kits, etc.). Following
the program, neighbours felt more connected with each other; had a better understanding of
their collective strengths, assets and vulnerabilities; and took action to be better prepared for
emergencies. The Connect and Prepare program works toward four main goals:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Neighbours reach out and get to know each other;
Neighbours share resources like space, tools, and equipment;
Neighbours help each other in little and big ways;
Neighbours cooperate around issues that affect their neighbourhood.

Further Reading
1-6

Columbia Basin Rural Development Institute: State of Climate Adaptation reports for Regional
District of Central Kootenay Area H, Regional District of Kootenay Boundary Area A, Golden,
Cranbrook, Silverton, and Nelson (2020)
7

Aldrich, Daniel: Recovering From Disasters: Social Networks Matter More Than Bottled Water
and Batteries (2017)
8

Columbia Basin Rural Development Institute: State of Basin Subjective Well Being Report (2019)

9

Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria: Strengthening Neighbourhood
Resilience: Opportunities for Communities & Local Government (2013)
10

Building Resilient Neighbourhoods: The Connect and Prepare Program (2021)

This project has been carried out with financial assistance from the Government of Canada
and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.