Released on December 30, 2002
Emergency responders in the Saskatoon and Regina areas, including healthservice providers, will receive some $580,000 in federal, provincial and
municipal funding to better prepare for and respond to chemical,
biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats. The funding is
available to improve provincial and municipal first responders' readiness
for terrorist and other security threats or emergencies.
"We are working together to help police, firefighters, medical and other
emergency health professionals obtain the new equipment they need or
upgrade their facilities to enhance national security and public safety,"
Corrections and Public Safety Minister Andrew Thomson said . "Since the
terrorist attacks on the United States of September 11, 2001, we have been
putting a legislative and security framework together with our federal and
municipal partners to better protect our communities and critical
infrastructure."
Personal protective, detection and decontamination equipment will be
purchased and telecommunications equipment and facilities will be upgraded
under this agreement. The Government of Canada has committed almost
$435,000 and the provincial and municipal governments about $145,000 to
fund these projects, including $50,800 from the City of Regina, $50,200
from Saskatoon and $43,500 from Saskatchewan Health and the health
districts.
"The Government of Canada is pleased to be able to provide financial
support to better equip front line emergency responders in Saskatoon and
Regina. The possibility of potential biological and chemical incidents
shows that first responders need detection and decontamination equipment
for use in these situations," National Defence Minister John McCallum said.
Minister Thomson chairs the Cabinet Ad Hoc Committee on Security, which
also includes Health Minister John Nilson, Justice Minister Chris Axworthy
and Government Relations Minister Ron Osika. Restructuring provincial
government services earlier this year included creation of the Department
of Corrections and Public Safety and is part of the provincial counter
terrorism response. The department is responsible for the Provincial
Emergency Plan and co-ordinating provincial emergency preparedness.
Thomson also cited the expansion of the Sask911 emergency telephone
response network and development of an integrated provincial training
strategy for key emergency personnel as other examples of provincial
security and public safety priorities.
Budget 2001, tabled by the Government of Canada last December, committed
$10 million over a two year period to provinces and territories for the
purchase of CBRN-related equipment. The funding is being provided through
the Government of Canada's Joint Emergency Preparedness Program (JEPP) with
75 per cent of project funding coming from the Government of Canada and the
remaining 25 per cent coming from provincial, territorial and municipal
governments.
-30-
For more information, contact:
Bill Derby Dave Quick
Saskatchewan Corrections and Public Safety City of Regina
Regina Regina
Phone: (306) 787-5883 Phone: (306)777-7886
Max London
Manager, Public Affairs
Department of National Defence
Phone: (613) 944-4875
Alyson Edwards
City of Saskatoon
EMO Coordinator
Saskatoon
Phone: (306) 975-2411