Arctic Council

Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response

In the Arctic, activities associated with the production, storage, transportation, and use of oil, nuclear materials, and other hazardous chemicals or materials pose great risks of accidents.

Transport Canada is an active member of the Arctic Council, which is a high-level forum for cooperation, coordination and interaction between Arctic states, indigenous communities and other Arctic residents.

Through the Council's Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response (EPPR) Working Group, Transport Canada works with other Arctic Countries to deal with the prevention, preparedness and response to environmental emergencies in the Arctic that are a result of human activities or natural disasters.

The Arctic is an environmentally sensitive area. Actions for prevention, preparedness and response must be adapted to the conditions and remoteness of the Arctic.

EPPR Goals are to:

• Protect the Arctic environment from the threat or impact of activities in the Arctic that may result in an accidental release of pollutants,
• Promote sustainable development in the Arctic, and
• Be prepared to respond to natural disasters in the Arctic.

EPPR Objectives are to:

• Improve prevention measures aimed at reducing accidents in the Arctic, including source control management programs,
• Improve emergency preparedness programs at local, national, regional and international levels to ensure they are commensurate with the level of risk that exists, including arrangements for mutual assistance, and,
• Improve response capabilities so that they are commensurate with existing threats.

Members of the Arctic Council are Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden and the United States of America. Permanent participants in the Arctic Council are the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, the Saami Council, and the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, the Aleut International Association, the Arctic Athabaskan Council and the Gwich'in Council International.