Infrastructure is the foundation of our social, economic, and environmental quality of life. We depend on it. And yet it only seems to get attention when it fails. We need to be forward looking and talk about infrastructure as an investment to be leveraged and protected rather than an expense to be minimized.

• How infrastructure is intertwined with almost every aspect of public policy.
• Are we building the right infrastructure? The need for data, a vision, and a long-term plan.
• Are we building infrastructure right? The importance of procurement and asset management to the quality, resilience, and life cycle of infrastructure.

Wildfires have demonstrated the devastation that can befall a community and the magnitude of the crisis local and other government authorities face in these serious situations as they become more frequent and severe across Canada. What have emergency professionals encountered, experienced and learned? What do we have to do to minimize the consequences of future occurrences?

• Observations and insights from emergency personnel.
• Need to assess preparations and response.
• Need for innovation and new approaches to climate risk mitigation and adaptation.
• The federal government’s national climate adaptation strategy for a more climate-resilient economy, communities and infrastructure.
• The need for significant new funding, sustained focus and coordinated government.

• Documentation of processes.
• Governance issues.
• Keeping the Board well informed.

Business Continuity Management (BCM) has evolved to the concept of resilience as the desired outcome; however, resilience is but one of the Disaster and Emergency Management paradigms available for consideration by BCM practitioners. The earlier paradigms of Hazard, Vulnerability, and Risk all lend to increased perspectives, planning considerations, and linkages in a holistic approach to achieve improved resilience within Business Continuity Plans and organizations.

Application of Disaster and Emergency Management (DEM) Concepts to Business Continuity Management (BCM)

• The Operating Environment (DEM, Incident Response, & BCM).
• Comprehensive Approach to DEM (Prevention/Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, & Recovery).
• Typology of Organizations (Established, Expanding, Extending, & Emergent).
• DEM Paradigms (Hazard-Focused, Vulnerability, Risk Management, & Resilience).
• DEM and BCM – “So What?” (Planning considerations and perspectives).

Logic Models

• What is a Logic Model.
• Why use Logic Models in BCM?
• Utility of Logic Models.
• How to Develop a Logic Model.
  • Identify the Problem or Opportunity.
  • Define Inputs.
  • Outline Activities.
  • Specify Outputs.
  • Articulate Outcomes.
  • Use Appropriate Detail Level.
  • Iterate and Refine.
• Building the Logic Model: Left to Right or Right to Left?
• Logic Models – Performance Management and Risk.
• Critical Services, Resources, and Interdependencies.
• Logic Models and BCM – Pre-Planning and the Professional Practices.
• Logic Model Examples.

The possibility of Cyber-attack against your organization is your number one risk followed by attacks against your supply chain. A hack can cause major cascading implications for your business. Your business must be educated, prepared and practiced in dealing with these threats.

• What really happens when the bad actors get in?
• The difference between Cyber Security and Cyber.
• How attacks happen.
• Impacts on victimized organizations.
• Levels of preparedness.
• Lessons learned.
• What you need to do now and what your executives need to understand.
• The rise of artificial intelligence and its potential risks, including algorithmic failures or malicious use.
• The power and potential of AI solutions in preventing and managing impacts.

Protecting a Canadian organization from power outages involves a mix of proactive measures, infrastructure investment, and strategic planning. Key steps include:

• Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Systems.
• Backup Generators for extended outages.
• Redundant Power Sources.
• Energy Storage Systems.
• Surge Protection.
• Power Management and Monitoring Systems.
• Staff Training and Preparedness.
• Renewable Energy Integration – reduce reliance on the power grid.
• Collaboration with Utility Providers.

As rainfall rises to unprecedented levels due to climate change, floods have become more frequent and more extreme, now the most costly weather related disaster we face. A flash flood in particular, can carry away whatever lies in its path. More people in the USA lose their lives due to floods than tornadoes. This session will cover the following so you leave with a thorough understanding of the challenges and necessary solutions in this important area. Find out about:

• Types of floods and what’s driving them.
• The need to understand flood risk.
• Where are the flood maps?
• Need to know the safest possible routes out of the flood area to get employees and citizens to safety.
• Who is responsible for alerts?
• Provincial, federal and municipal responsibilities.
• Mitigation strategies.
• Need to design for flood resilience.