Public Safety Committee

Issues and challenges relating to public safety often cross local government boundaries and require ongoing inter-community discussion, collaboration and communication. To help ensure that this cooperation is strengthened, each Regional Service Commission is required to establish a Public Safety Committee. In general terms, the Public Safety Committee will facilitate the exchange of information and discussion around resource sharing and joint planning with respect to the services of policing, fire protection and emergency measures management. The Public Safety Committee may wish to develop recommendations for consideration by the Board of its respective RSC. Such recommendations may include actions aimed at improving services. It is important to distinguish that this committee is not mandated to deliver provincial public safety services and programs.

The Public Safety Committee will focus primarily on the services of policing, fire protection and emergency measures planning as follows:

Policing: Enhance communication and build relationships between communities, regions, and policing authorities, and help identify key issues and priorities regarding policing services in the region.

Fire Protection: Exchange information on issues regarding fire prevention and suppression services and explore ways in which sustainability and effectiveness may be improved through enhanced cooperation, sharing of resources, and the strategic purchases of specialized equipment.

Emergency measures planning: Exchange information, identify issues and consider potential actions with provincial officials relative to emergency measures planning.

Other shared aspects of public safety within the region may also be considered by the Public Safety Committee.