Regional District seeks public input on development of emergency communications/ public notification plan

Pemberton, BC – The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) is developing an emergency communications/ public notification plan and is looking to the public for input.

With funding from the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM), the SLRD is working with Butterfly Effect Communications to undertake the development of a plan that will guide the regional district’s emergency public notification process.

As part of the plan development, the SLRD has launched a brief, anonymous, online survey which takes an estimated 10 minutes to complete. The information provided through the anonymous survey will help the SLRD build a plan that will ensure the organization is communicating efficiently, effectively and promptly before, during and after an emergency.

The survey is open until midnight, June 4, 2025. For those who would like to provide input by completing a paper survey, please contact the SLRD at communications@slrd.bc.ca

This project is funded by a grant from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) – Public Notification and Evacuation Route Planning Stream. As described in the program guide, the CEPF “is a suite of funding programs intended to support First Nations and local governments prepare for disasters and reduce risks from natural hazards in a changing climate.” Funding is provided by the Province of BC, and administered by the UBCM.

“The SLRD gratefully acknowledges the funding support for this important project,” said SLRD Board Chair, Jen Ford. “We have experienced first-hand the effects of a variety of different types of emergencies in the regional district,” she added. “At all stages of an emergency, information is key, and having a plan to guide this process will help improve our overall preparedness for, and response to, emergencies in the future. Please take a moment to complete the survey and ensure that your voice is included in this important project.”

To find out more about this project, visit the Get Involved SLRD website.

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Located in southwestern BC, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) is a local government federation consisting of four member municipalities (the District of Lillooet, the District of Squamish, the Village of Pemberton and the Resort Municipality of Whistler) and four unincorporated, rural electoral areas (A, B, C, and D). Headquartered in Pemberton, which is the approximate geographic centre of the region, the SLRD delivers a wide range of local, regional and sub-regional services to approximately 50,496 residents (2021 Census as certified by the Minister of Municipal Affairs).

The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District is found within the traditional territories of several First Nations, including the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), St'át'imc and Líl̓wat. Small parts of the SLRD also overlap with the traditional territories of the Stó:lō, Tsleil-Waututh, Nlaka'pamux, Tsilhqot'in, and Secwepemc Nations. While the SLRD does not provide direct services to the residents of the First Nations communities located within the region, the organization is committed to enhancing relations with the Indigenous communities and First Nations within whose territories the SLRD operates.