Collaborative Resilience

Community resilience is described in the Emergency Management Framework for Canada (EM Framework) as “the capacity of a system, community or society to adapt to disturbances resulting from hazards by persevering, recuperating or changing to reach and maintain an acceptable level of functioning. Resilient capacity is built through a process of empowering citizens, responders, organizations, communities, governments, systems and society to share the responsibility to keep hazards from becoming disasters. Resilience minimizes vulnerability or susceptibility by creating or strengthening social and physical capacity in the human and built environment to cope with, adapt to, respond to, and recover and learn from disasters.”

As outlined in the UN Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (Sendai Framework), adopted by BC in 2018, and as emphasized in the Emergency Management Strategy for Canada (EM Strategy), Resilient Capacity refers to how our communities work together as a whole, rather than individuals or independent organizations, focusing on how we communicate and collaborate as a system to dynamically adapt. The EM Strategy further highlights that "resilience is a strengths-based construct, focusing on capacities, assets, capabilities and aptitudes, and how these can be proactively mobilized and/or enhanced in order to reduce vulnerability and risk." Likewise, the Sendai Framework directs us to "leverage existing knowledge, experience and capabilities within EM partners in order to strengthen the resilience of all." Each of our communities contains people, organizations, services, and unique strengths that allow us to evolve together; through sharing the assets, capabilities, and scope of our local organizations, we can work together towards community resiliency.

What Resilient Communities Look Like (EM Strategy)

• Members of resilient communities are empowered to use their existing skills, knowledge and resources to prevent/mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. They are able to adapt their everyday skills and use them in extraordinary circumstances.

• Members of resilient communities are educated on the risks that may affect them. They understand the links between risks assessed at FPT levels and those that exist in their communities; and how this might affect their lives, businesses and the local environment.

• Members of resilient communities are engaged in all aspects of community life, adopting a long-term, holistic and community reflective perspective, influencing and making decisions that address the needs of their whole community. They take proactive steps today to help reduce risks tomorrow.

• Resilient communities encourage trusted champions to communicate the benefits of resilience to the wider community and influence others to get, or stay, involved. These champions help strengthen the relationships and bonds already working well in the community.

The First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) Climate Emergency Survey offers insights regarding the perspectives of First Nations on the climate emergency and related impacts, concerns, barriers and priorities. "Only 10% of respondents believed that their community had been consulted by the Federal or Provincial Governments on climate change initiatives (with about 20% noting that they had not been meaningfully consulted and a large proportion unsure). Respondents also noted that the lack of tangible results from engagement (in addition with the deficiency of funding) means “it isn’t worth it." These results point to a systemic problem with the governments’ forms and depth of engagement (and capacity from communities to engage) to date, and provide further rationale for why a First Nations Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan are needed at this time to inform provincial and federal decision makers, planners, and others about First Nations perspectives, priorities and concerns in BC. " (First Nations Leadership Council, 2020)

Additional Resources

• Indigenous Climate Hub
  Provides climate change resources and tools for Indigenous peoples and acts as a hub for Indigenous climate change leaders

• Climate Change Adaptation Planning Toolkit For Indigenous Communities - Center for Indigenous Environmental Resources
  Provides tools and resources to support Indigenous individuals and communities interested in undertaking climate change adaptation planning

• ReTooling for Climate Change
  Adaptation tools and resources for Indigenous Nations, local governments and others to prepare for the impacts of climate change

• Plan2Adapt
  Tool for generating maps, plots, and data describing projected future climate conditions for regions throughout British Columbia