Edmonton Region
Municipal Services
Mutual Aid Agreement
Recommendation:
That Executive Committee recommend
to City Council:
That Edmonton’s participation in the
Edmonton Region Municipal Services
Mutual Aid Agreement be approved.

Report Summary
This report recommends that the City
of Edmonton (COE) sign the attached
Regional Municipal Services Mutual
Aid Agreement (Attachment 1 of the
June 5, 2007, Office of the City
Manager’s 2007CMO041 report). This
agreement outlines the process by
which municipal services will be
provided by one municipality to
another during, and only during a
disaster.
Report

Mayor S. Mandel has recently
articulated the need for COE to
participate fully in regional
emergency preparedness activities:
 In Building the Capital Partnership
– “Given the vital importance of
emergency preparedness and
public security, and given the
leadership we have demonstrated,
we are encouraging provincial
support for our efforts to develop a
regional approach to emergency
preparedness.”
 In a letter to the Honourable Ray
Danyluk, February 6, 2007 – “We
believe we need to encourage
more effective cooperation with

neighbouring municipalities in a
number of areas, including
emergency preparedness. If a
more regional approach has the
potential to better ensure the
safety and security of the people
of this region, we need to consider
it.”
Most regional partners consider the
enclosed Municipal Services Mutual
Aid Agreement as the logical start
point for the development of any
substantial regional emergency
preparedness program. Strathcona
Fire/Rescue Services developed it in
consultation with Edmonton,
St. Albert, Fort Saskatchewan,
Spruce Grove, Leduc, Sturgeon
County, Parkland County, Leduc
County and Lamont County. Unlike
existing bi-lateral mutual aid
agreements it encompasses a wider
geographical area and includes all
municipal resources, not just specific
emergency response resources.
From the City’s perspective this
agreement is operationally neutral.
With or without this agreement in the
event of a disaster Edmonton would
provide assistance to its neighbours.
This agreement provides
administrative processes to manage
this support in areas such as
payment for aid and indemnification,
insurance and liabilities. This
agreement makes it clear this
support is only for emergencies and
not to “compensate for service levels
or resource shortfalls in the
Requesting Party’s normal course of
events.” As well, this agreement
states that support will be provided
at the discretion of the Providing
Party, and the Providing Party will
exercise “complete and unfettered
discretion as to whether to provide
PAGE
ROUTING – Executive Committee, City Council | DELEGATION – B. Black
WRITTEN BY – B. Black, K. Klaassen | June 5, 2007 – Office of the City Manager 2008CMO014
Page 1 of 2
Edmonton Region Municipal Services Mutual Aid Agreement



all, a portion or none of the aid
requested.”
This agreement will not replace
existing bi-lateral mutual aid
agreements between specific
municipal departments, such as the
existing Edmonton Fire/Rescue
mutual aid by-laws. At the same
time, this agreement does potentially
extend the City’s support to non-first
responder resources such as traffic
barriers and flood-control equipment.
This agreement was reviewed by
Law Branch staff. Strathcona
Fire/Rescue was responsive to our
amendments and has incorporated
them accordingly.
Signing this agreement sends a clear
message that Edmonton is a strong
supporter of effective regional
emergency preparedness and will
prepare the way for other regional
emergency preparedness initiatives
such as, joint training and the
development of a regional
emergency coordination centre.
Justification of Recommendation
The participation by the City of
Edmonton in this Municipal Services
Mutual Aid Agreement will show
Edmonton’s commitment to the
development of an effective regional
emergency preparedness capability and
will provide the foundation for future
regional emergency preparedness
initiatives.
Attachments
1. Regional Municipal Services Mutual
Aid Agreement
Page 2 of 2