Table of Contents 
Appendix 3
Roles and Responsibilities
Ministry Action Group
In general, the key roles and responsibilities of MAG in an emergency include:
- Directing the ministries’ immediate emergency responses in accordance with the requirements of the Emergency Management & Civil Protection Act
- Establishing the operational requirements for the MAG (e.g., scheduling, reporting requirements, meeting/teleconference schedules)
- Providing direction to ministry staff at the PEOC
- Ensuring that the PEOC and other relevant partners (e.g., federal government, municipalities, other ministries, community agencies) are kept informed of key developments and decisions
- Providing daily (or more frequent, as required) reports on progress in dealing with the emergency
- Ensuring that additional ministry resources are made available as required
- Ensuring that accurate documentation exists regarding decisions and actions taken and resources and money expended
- Participating in an annual ministry exercise to evaluate the Emergency Management Plan
- Participating as a group in annual training to remain informed and ready to assume leadership if/when an emergency occurs
Emergency Management Program Committee
The key roles and responsibilities of EMPC include:
- Being familiar with the requirements of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (2006) and MCSS' special responsibilities under OIC;
- Understanding the roles of other key players in the province’s response to emergency situations (e.g. EMO, PEOC, MGCS, other ministries and levels of government, community agencies);
- Providing direction to development of the ministries’ Emergency Management Program;
- Participating in the annual review of the ministries’ Emergency Management Program;
- Ensuring that the Ministers are advised on the development and implementation of the ministries’ Emergency Management Program and making recommendations to the Ministers regarding program revisions required.
MCSS/MCYS/OFA Emergency Management Unit
EMU staff have been trained in Emergency Preparedness and Response and are responsible for the following:
- Ensuring MCSS/MCYS/OFA COOP Plans and Emergency Response Plans are developed and updated, at least annually
- Implementing Emergency Response related to MCSS Order in Council responsibilities
- Liaising with EMO and other emergency response organizations and stakeholders
- Establishing and maintaining a functional Ministry Emergency Operations Centre (MEOC) and alternate site
- Training MCSS/MCYS/OFA Emergency Leads/Regional Emergency Managers and MAG
- Development of a staff and public awareness program related to the ministries Emergency Management Program.
Ministry Emergency Management Coordinator and Continuity of Operations Program Coordinator
In accordance with the Ontario Regulation 380/2004 every ministry must have a designated Ministry Emergency Management Coordinator (MEMC) and another employee designated as an Alternate Ministry Emergency Management Coordinator (A/MEMC). MCSS/MCYS/OFA have designated these positions as part of the Corporate Emergency Management Unit. The MEMC and the A/MEMC have completed all training required by Emergency Management Ontario and Ministry of Government Services.
The MEMC is the Coordinator for the Ministry Emergency Response Program. The A/MEMC is the Coordinator for the Continuity of Operations Program.
The MEMC and COOP Coordinators report to the Senior Manager, Emergency Management Unit.
PMD Regional Emergency Managers
Dedicated Emergency Management capacity has been assigned to support the ministries at the regional level. PMD Regional Emergency Managers ensure that the MCSS Order In Council responsibilities for community emergencies are planned for and managed. They are also charged with ensuring that all Continuity of Operations Plans written by facility and business unit emergency management leads in their region form a comprehensive and cohesive set of regional strategies across all of the ministries’ program areas.
Regional Emergency Managers work closely with the EMU during an emergency. An alternate has been identified for each Regional Emergency Manager and training has been provided by the EMU.
Regional Emergency Managers’ responsibilities include:
- Developing an Emergency Response Plan for the MCSS Regions and coordination of all local/facility plans in their region
- Communicating with the EMU to ensure consistent corporate and regional messaging and response to potential or actual emergency situations
- Ensuring that the Regional Offices respond appropriately to a request from a municipality/community for assistance in emergency social services
- Leading regional co-ordination of emergency social services (food, clothing, shelter, victim registration and inquiry services, and personal services) during a community emergency when a provincial ministry response is required
- Responding to emergency social services requirements of unorganized communities, First Nations Communities
- Co-ordinating the roll-up of COOP Plans for the regional office, local offices and facilities
- Training Regional Office and facility staff regarding their responsibilities in emergency management, and
- Participating in simulation exercises and other testing of plans to evaluate the effectiveness of emergency response plans and identify opportunities for continuous improvements.
MCSS Facility Emergency Leads
MCSS Facility Emergency Leads are responsible for developing their respective facility COOP plan and submitting it to the PMD Regional Emergency Manager. Facility COOP plans form part of the relevant regional COOP plan.
YJS Regional Emergency Managers and Probation Office and Facility Emergency Leads
YJS Emergency Leads for facilities and probation offices are responsible for developing their respective COOP plan and submitting it to the YJS Regional Emergency Manager.
YJS Regional Emergency Managers are responsible for co-ordinating the completion of COOP plans and for all aspects of the COOP Program (e.g., testing of COOP Plans, training of staff).
Corporate Branch and CYSS Cluster Emergency Management Leads
Emergency Management Leads have been identified in Corporate Branches across the ministries, the OFA and the CYSS Cluster to:
- Provide corporate level program expertise in the development of the Ministry Emergency Management Plan
- Identify critical services and ministry-wide strategies to maintain/recover these services, and
- Develop COOP plans for their branch.
Corporate Emergency Management Leads work closely with and are supported by the ministries’ EMU.