The Village of Masset is moving to strengthen its emergency preparedness by creating a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), aimed at improving coordination across agencies and better preparing for future emergencies.
A report to council recommends establishing the committee as part of updates to the Village’s emergency management program, aligning with provincial requirements and best practices.
The LEPC would bring together key partners involved in emergency response, including the RCMP, Northern Health, BC Hydro and Public Works. The goal is to formalize coordination that often happens during emergencies and ensure planning is in place ahead of time.
The committee would be led by the Village’s emergency coordinator and serve as an advisory group to council. Its work would focus on completing a hazard, risk and vulnerability analysis, developing an emergency response plan, and building out an Emergency Support Services program to assist residents during evacuations or major disruptions.
If approved, the committee would begin work in March 2026, with updates provided to council as planning progresses.
The move comes after a winter marked by highway closures, service disruptions and ongoing concerns about emergency response capacity on Haida Gwaii.
It is not yet clear what specific events prompted the move or how quickly the committee’s work will be completed.
