Comox Valley, B.C. - The Comox Valley Emergency Management (CVEM) service partners are pleased to announce that the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) has approved funding to support Indigenous Cultural Safety and Cultural Humility training across the region.
The project, Honouring What Already Exists: Partnerships in Relational Emergency Management, has been awarded $150,000 through the 2026 Indigenous Cultural Safety and Cultural Humility Training stream of the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF).
This initiative will strengthen relationships with Indigenous Governing Bodies to, enhance shared learning, and support culturally safe emergency management practices throughout the Comox Valley through:
- Regional training - Joint learning sessions to strengthen cultural safety across jurisdictions.
- Collaborative planning -Shared planning processes that support long‑term relationship building and co-solutioning.
- Knowledge sharing - Opportunities for Indigenous and non‑Indigenous partners to learn from one another.
- Cultural safety practices - Integrating culturally grounded approaches into emergency management systems.
“Strengthening emergency management in the Comox Valley means strengthening our relationships. This funding allows us to learn alongside Indigenous partners in ways that honour place‑based knowledge, cultural protocols, and the leadership that has guided communities through generations of hazards,” said Cari McIntyre, Manager, Comox Valley Emergency Management. “We are grateful for the opportunity to deepen this work together.”
The CEPF is administered by UBCM and funded by the Province of British Columbia.
The CVEM partners extend their appreciation to UBCM and the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness for supporting this important work.
Comox Valley Emergency Management (CVEM) is a regional service administered by the Comox Valley Regional District in partnership with the City of Courtenay, Village of Cumberland, Town of Comox and K’ómoks First Nation to provide emergency management services and support to the region.
The Comox Valley Regional District is a partnership of three electoral areas and three municipalities operating on the unceded traditional territory of the K’ómoks First Nation, the traditional keepers of the land. The members of the regional district work collaboratively on providing sustainable services for the benefit of the diverse urban and rural areas of the Comox Valley.
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Media Contact:
Cari McIntyre
Manager, Comox Valley Emergency Management (CVEM)
Tel: 250-334-6096