The Village of Daajing Giids is considering joining a shared Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (HRVA) for Haida Gwaii communities to meet provincial emergency management requirements.
Under the BC Local Authority Emergency Management Regulation, local governments must assess the risks of emergencies and disasters and their potential impacts. To meet this requirement, the village needs an established Emergency Management Organization responsible for identifying hazards and developing response plans.
Daajing Giids mayor and council brought this subject to committee for a more in-depth conversation about their concerns and thoughts regarding a previous joint study that mislabeled the community at risk of erosion.
Daniel Fish, chief administrative officer for the North Coast Regional District, has proposed a collaborative HRVA funded through the Indigenous Engagement Requirements Funding Program (IERFP). Communities, including Masset, Port Clements, and Areas D and E, have been invited to participate with the goal of pooling resources and expertise for a comprehensive regional assessment. “This concept is not flushed out. This is a rough plan for us to develop this HRVA,” Fish said.
Fish has yet to take a recommendation to his board at the NCRD and suggested that other councils on the islands are mulling this over. “At this point, we don’t have to commit to anything hard and fast,” he said.
Village councillor Alanah Mountifield spoke of her concerns about joining another joint study, as in the past, the Village of Daajing Giids didn’t feel heard. “I don’t know if the outcome of the last study was beneficial to the community overall or the constituents,” she said.
Mountainfield was not alone in her concerns, with Mayor Lisa Pineault saying, “We are concerned with being labelled erroneously, and it having impacts on our community’s insurability and our ratepayer’s ability to maintain their property value.”
Fish appreciated their concerns due to past experiences in joint studies. He explained that Haida Gwaii has unique risks with supply chain issues, isolation, and remoteness that are not considered in the templates provided by the province, which wouldn’t be used if there was a joint effort in developing the HRVA. “The initial risk assessment is what informs the planning and is used by local governments in their planning process.”
Village CAO Bill Beamish explained to the council that the last assessment was done before the incorporation of the village, possibly over 20 years ago, but still had the name Queen Charlotte City on it. “This needs to be updated and current,” Beamish told the council and mayor.
The Village of Daajing Giids has $30,000 in unallocated IERFP funding, which must be spent by March 31, 2025, and had been suggested to put toward this proposal. The village’s Emergency Management Organization endorsed the HRVA proposal at its Dec. 13, 2024, meeting, noting the benefits of a coordinated approach.
Councillor Jesse Embree said, “This is us doing our duty as a government in terms of letting people know what the risk in their property is. A failure to let people know that is a bit of a failure on us if these risks exist.” Other members of the council echoed the duty to inform their constituents of these risks and expressed their support in principle as well.
Mayor Pineault expressed interest in supporting this in principle and would like to see the Council of the Haida Nation and Bands involved, as well as bringing this idea forward to the protocol table.
Fish said that the CHN and bands are more advanced in their planning but will ask how much they would like to be involved or engaged in this process.
“I am not opposed to this taking place. I would want us to be thoughtful and careful going full tilt. I agree that, yes, we need to identify hazards and threats in our community, just not at the expense of our community members,” Mountifield clarified.
“I am anticipating this will be more expensive than what we will have in the pot if we get everyone on board,” Fish said. Continuing to explain that they could find other funding streams if this is the case.
The council moved out of the committee and moved forward with supporting the proposal in principle, with the concept subject to other communities participating and securing funding.
If approved, the shared HRVA could improve emergency readiness, strengthen regional coordination and ensure compliance with provincial regulations.