Choosing our Future:
From Vision to Action
What is Resiliency?
Resiliency is a concept that embraces two characteristics: the robustness or strength of a system when subjected to stress, and the adaptability of a system in response to changing conditions and objectives. It is the capacity of the urban region to withstand or fully recover from major shocks and change, without unacceptable losses. As a design feature, resiliency contributes to human security by making critical infrastructure less prone to failure.
In this light, it is not possible for any large city to achieve long-term sustainability and protect human security without resilient urban systems. Resiliency is insurance against shocks that can undermine health and safety, and civil and economic liberties. It assures the robustness of the urban system when subjected to stress, be that changing conditions or any forms of disaster. Choosing our Future deals with resiliency and the increased complexity of threats. The potential benefits of resiliency are two-fold:
- Enhanced performance of all urban systems
- Increased ability to achieve sustainability goals – by increasing the longer-term effectiveness and efficiency of each investment.
Resilient systems will have an extended lifetime at reduced cost, generating more efficiency and effectiveness over their life-cycle.
It is imperative that these systems continue to work when times get tough.
Emergency Planning
The Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (Province of Ontario) and the Civil Protection Act (Province of Quebec) requires that each municipality develop an emergency management program that includes the four core components of emergency management: mitigation/prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. This project deals with the prevention/mitigation aspect. Mitigation refers to measures that are implemented to reduce or eliminate the long-term impacts and risks associated with natural and human-induced disasters.