An assessment of natural hazards management in British Columbia
Date
1983
Authors
Buchanan, Robert Gordon
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Abstract
Natural hazards pose a serious threat to the people of British Columbia. As developments continue to encroach into areas of high risk, damage costs and the potential for further asses of property and lives increase. This thesis provides an introduction to hazards management in British Columbia and a review of programs employed in the reduction of damage losses. Several subject areas are examined, including decision-making under crisis; a situation often found in conjunction with hazardous events.
Ad hoc management during periods of crisis is no longer a viable method of reducing impacts from natural hazards. In exploring both the human and physical aspects of natural hazards in British Columbia, it becomes apparent that current programs do not provide the degree of protection necessary. Continued flooding of residential areas in southwest and central regions of the province are examples of events which demonstrate the need for new management alternatives. The Mount Garibaldi landslide case, which is examined in this theses, illustrates the adverse effects of ad hoc decision-making and lack of management programs.
Spatial distribution of natural hazards is such that few sites in British Columbia are free of risks. As a result, the provincial and Canadian federal governments have developed legislative and administrative frameworks for responding to hazardous events. Emphasis has been pl aced on response rather than protection. This tends to lead to decision-making in the face of crisis, where normally, decisions are made rapidly and immediately after a disaster. An alternative would be to prepare a planned approach to natural hazards management.
This study includes a preliminary assessment of the steps needed to establish a hazards program. Legal and administrative frameworks are assessed in detail, while physical and social factors are examined from a hazard or site-specific basis. The correlation between legislative acts and crisis is illustrated in Chapter 3 and the need for a comprehensive legal standing for risk reduction programs studied. British Columbia, in comparison with California and other American states, is significantly less advanced in the formulation of hazards legislation. This is, in part, responsible for the continued growth of development into areas of high risk, without consideration of alternatives or potential losses.
Administrative programs in British Columbia have developed into effective, but hazard specific systems. No coordinated approach to hazards delineation of land-use in areas of risk, however, has accompanied their evolution. Lack of a comprehensive hazards management program has led to overlapping data collection and in some cases, a conflict in requirements where development is approved. The need for a central entity to collect and disseminate information is apparent. It has been proposed that the Provincial Emergency Program currently in existence, could act as coordinator, if it was given the mandate. Creation of a new bureaucracy is not required, but a reorganization of the existing infrastructure is necessary, before an effective loss-reducing program will become effective.
Preparedness and coordination between agencies can also reduce the social impacts and stresses placed on individuals in areas of high risk. This has been made clear by the Mount Garibaldi case example examined in this study. In this example, a large developed area north of Squamish, British Columbia was considered to be in the path of a potential, catastrophic rockslide. To reduce the risks, the government decided to purchase all properties and return the area to a natural setting. Lack of a planned or coordinated system to implement such a decision led to disfavour, misinterpretation and distrust by those individuals affected by the stress-generated programs introduced, in an effort to reduce the risk. Programs were implemented in an ad hoc manner and as a result, their effectiveness was greatly reduced. An example being the program to relocate and compensate those individuals occupying lands within the designated hazard area. Under the terms of reference, only owners of improved lands could be compensated, establishing an inequity for those with undeveloped land. In addition, deadlines were established for vacating property when no area of relocation had as yet been established. Contributing to the general disorganization was the fact that responsibility for management of this problem was transferred from one government agency to another, because each agency had varying legal jurisdiction in reference to actions taken. The inadequacy of crisis generated decisions is clearly illustrated by this case example. The thesis also highlights the need for a definitive policy on natural hazards. Legislation which consolidates present laws in regard to natural hazards is necessary to clarify the position of government agencies and to define the rights of victims. With the exception of flooding, no agency is legally designated to manage land use in areas susceptible to the other seven prominent hazards in British Columbia, except for post-event response. Jurisdictions are therefore unclear in some cases, creating a great deal of confusion for members of the public, who rely upon government agencies for guidance. A policy which clearly defines the needs of the public and goals of government, would probably substantially reduce misconceptions and agency overlaps. Public awareness of programs may also be advanced through presentation of a policy statement.
This study illustrates that a multi-level approach is necessary to manage natural hazards. Several examples of in-place, hazards programs from the United States are examined in Chapter 6. To prevent, or at lease reduce the potential for disaster, British Columbia must follow the lead taken by many of these states, which have acknowledged the high risks involved, and implemented loss-reducing programs. A planned and orderly approach is suggested for the province. The initial step is to present a definitive policy statement, followed by a legislative act to provide the legal boundaries for implementing actions and meeting stated goals.
Administrative boundaries must be clarified, so that areas of jurisdiction and function are clear. Public awareness of risk and actions to reduce losses should be promoted. Formation or designation of a central agency to act as collector and disseminator of data would probably improve awareness, by being accessible and capable of providing public information. The preparation of risk maps is seen as one means of informing ,the public of where and what risks are involved, and providing land-use managers with foreknowledge of hazardous areas.
British Columbia is facing disaster. Without a provincial program to reduce risks from natural hazards, it is likely that damage losses will rise in the future, possibly to levels unmanageable by existing provincial and federal agencies. This threat to life and property from natural hazards can be largely avoided. Alternative actions may significantly reduce losses. Many avenues still need to be examined before a comprehensive hazards program can be implemented in British Columbia. Compilation of data on natural hazards, such as provided here, will hopefully aid in the development of policies and programs to reduce risks faced by residents. Planning is mandatory if a reduction in crisis decision-making is to occur and the risks from natural hazards are to be avoided.