Community Emergency Preparedness Fund: Public Notification and Evacuation Route Planning

Program Category: Climate Adaptation

Program Sub-Category: Emergency Mitigation / Preparedness / Planning

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Status: Open

Funder

Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM)

Deadline Details

Applications will be accepted from September 1, 2025 until April 24, 2026. Applications can be submitted at any time during this period; however, applications will only be reviewed after the intake closes.

Funder Organization Type

BC Local Government and Associations

The Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) is a suite of funding streams intended to enhance the resiliency of First Nations, local governments, and communities in responding to emergencies and to reduce risks from future disasters due to natural hazards and climate-related risks. Funding is provided by the Province of BC and is administered by UBCM.

The intent of this funding stream is to support eligible applicants to develop Evacuation Route Plans and/or Public Notification Plans that provide information for First Nations, local governments, and community members in the event of an emergency. This may include development of a new or updated Evacuation Route Plan and/or new or updated Public Notification Plan. New or updated plans can be combined, stand-alone, and/or embedded in other local emergency management documents. Please note that the overall development or routine update of a local emergency plan is not eligible for funding. For both Evacuation Route Plans and Public Notification Plans, it is expected that plans will be exercised.

Eligible Community

All First Nations (bands, modern Treaty First Nations with treaties that are in effect, and Indigenous National Governments with authority for lands and resources) and local governments (municipalities and regional districts) in BC are eligible to apply.

Required Community Contribution

No community contribution required

Funding Stacking Restrictions

Yes

To ensure transparency and accountability in the expenditure of public funds, all other grant contributions for eligible portions of the project must be declared and, depending on the total value, may decrease the value of the grant. This includes any other grant funding and any revenue that is generated from activities that are funded by the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund.

Application Limit per Community

Specific Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for funding, projects must result in the development of a new or updated Evacuation Route Plan and/or Public Notification Plan, and be:

In alignment with the recommended content and eligibility requirements as identified in the Program Guide;
A new or a subsequent phase of a project (retroactive funding is not available); and
Capable of completion by the applicant within one year from the date of grant approval.

Additional requirements if it is a regional project (see program guideline, section 4).

Applications are required to be submitted in two steps prior to the application deadline:

LGPS Online Application Form
Application Worksheet

See the program guide for more details.

Type of Funding

Grant

Range of Funding Available per Project

Under $100 000

Description of Funding

The Public Notification and Evacuation Route Planning funding stream can contribute a maximum of 100% of the cost of eligible activities to a maximum of $40,000

Additional funding may be available to communities that can demonstrate geographical constraints (see Program Guide, section 3).

Percentage of Project Funded

100%

Maximum of 100% of the cost of eligible activities

Eligible Costs

Capacity Building for the Community

Eligible costs are direct costs that are approved for funding, properly and reasonably incurred, and paid by the applicant to carry out eligible activities. Eligible costs can only be incurred from the date of application submission until the final report is submitted.

Eligible activities must result in the completion of a new or updated Evacuation Route Plan and/or new or updated Public Notification Plan, be cost-effective, and are limited to:

Development of a new or updated Evacuation Route Plan and/or new or updated Public Notification Plan.
Collaborative planning work with neighbouring jurisdictions.
Preparation of maps, spatial data, and metadata for all maps as identified in Section 9 and

following the requirements in Appendix 2 (where applicable must meet Specifications for LiDAR

for the Province of British Columbia and if applicable the Specifications for the Production of Digital Elevation Models for the Province of British Columbia).
Travel and meeting expenses such as mileage and catering associated with planning, training, knowledge transfer, or exercising eligible activities.
Exercising of new or updated Evacuation Route Plan and/or new or updated Public Notification Plan. Note that exercises should include emergency management personnel (e.g., EOC staff, ESS volunteers, etc.). Evacuation drills intended for community members are not eligible for funding.
Amendments to relevant local plans, bylaws, or policies that are specific to evacuation route

and/or public notification planning (e.g, Official Community Plan, land use plans, engineering and public works bylaws or policies).

See Section 6 of the Program Guide for details.

Ineligible Costs

Building Purchase Costs
Land Acquisition

Any activity that is not directly connected to activities approved in the application is not eligible for grant funding. This includes:

Routine or ongoing operating costs or activities (e.g., heating, cooling, and lighting; security;
software or service subscriptions; or membership fees).
Routine or ongoing planning costs or planning activities that are not incremental to the project.
Regular salaries and/or benefits of primary applicant or sub-applicant(s) staff or partners.
Duplication of recently developed information, maps, or imagery (e.g., LiDAR that is currently
available through the Open LiDAR Data Portal) provided the information remains accurate.
Project-related fees payable to the primary applicant or sub-applicant(s) (e.g., permit fees).
Costs related to individual or household preparedness, including the purchase of emergency
supplies (e.g., first aid kits, evacuation supplies).
Development of curriculum for Kindergarten to Grade 12 education.
Major capital or infrastructure improvements (including road design and construction) or major
renovations to existing facilities and/or construction of new, permanent facilities.
Purchase of promotional items, door/raffle prizes, give-away items, and/or gifts for community
members (except costs related to local cultural protocols).
Costs associated with an actual evacuation (e.g., traffic control equipment) and/or public
notification event.
Training provided and paid by the Provincial Emergency Management Training Program
(excluding travel costs).
Purchase of vehicles.
Emergency preparedness marketing campaigns.
Purchase of public notification systems
Evacuation route signage.
Development or update of Emergency Management Plans, emergency response plans, and/or
maps or other materials intended for local emergency response.
Conferences

Reporting Requirements

Progress reports and final reports

Expected Timeframe for Funding Decision

3 months

Applicants will be advised of the status of their application within 90 days of the application deadline.