JASON SETNYK
The City of Cornwall encouraged residents to prepare for emergencies during Emergency Preparedness Week 2026, which ran from May 3 to 9 across Canada.
During the last regular meeting of council, councillors received a report outlining the importance of public awareness, household emergency planning, and community resilience. The national theme for 2026 was “Be Prepared, Know Your Risks,” encouraging residents to understand local hazards and take proactive steps before emergencies occur.
The report noted that Eastern Ontario faces a range of potential emergencies, including severe weather, flooding, power outages, extreme heat, and infrastructure-related incidents. Municipalities are also required under Ontario’s Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act to promote emergency awareness and preparedness.
Deputy CAO and Fire Chief Matthew Stephenson said emergency preparedness was an ongoing effort throughout the year, not only during the annual awareness campaign. “Emergency Preparedness Week is something that we are identifying for this week, but it’s something we do all year long,” said Stephenson. He pointed to “Project Trillium,” an emergency management exercise conducted in January involving Cornwall, SDG Counties, and partner agencies to help ensure regional coordination during emergencies. He highlighted the importance of outreach to seniors through the annual Senior’s Fair in June. “We’re really pushing emergency preparedness in our seniors community,” he said.
Councillor Sarah Good read several of the campaign’s objectives into the public record, including encouraging residents to create household emergency plans and maintain emergency kits capable of sustaining households for at least 72 hours. “I don’t know that every household has this. We don’t have one at my household,” said Good. “I also don’t have one of those now. I’m looking at this thinking I need to be more prepared.”
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