Research Objectives and Methodology

Overview

Following a mixed-methods approach comprised of document and policy reviews, one-on-one consultations, and a jurisdiction scan, the team sought to unpack the following:

• The current state of emergency response across ministries

• Completeness and consistency of present policies

• Considerations for ownership and governance of CORE

Document Review

The team conducted a thorough scan of more than fifty documents to learn about the types of existing mandates, and guidelines within EMCR and BCWS. Analysis of the documents led to preliminary insights and identification of areas requiring further clarification from subject matter experts.

One-on-One Consultations

In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with twenty-three subject matter experts from 7 ministries. Below is a high-level breakdown of participant roles by ministry and key interview areas:

Policy Review

A review of overarching policies was conducted to identify opportunities for enhancements in compensation for members. Key policy areas were identified during the consultations and flagged as areas creating confusion or inconsistencies in program administration such as deployment length, rest periods, overtime, and meritorious service.

Jurisdiction Scan

A survey and subsequent report to understand how emergency management organizations outside of British Columbia are being managed and the processes involved in identifying and deploying resources. Secondary research was conducted to further augment the findings from the jurisdiction scan. We received fourteen responses from participants in key decision-making and operational roles within their emergency management organizations. The respondents belonged to the following provinces: