As autumn arrives and the leaves begin to turn, I want to take a moment to recognize the incredible dedication and hard work shown by our ERAC response team members and staff throughout this year. Your commitment has been the driving force behind our success, and I am proud to congratulate all the teams who have successfully completed their Regional Training, assessment, and approval process. These achievements are a testament to your professionalism and the high standards we uphold at Emergency Response Assistance Canada (ERAC).

To our more than 300 members, I strongly encourage you to attend upcoming training and assessment events. These gatherings are invaluable opportunities to better understand the full range of services ERAC provides and to get to know our responders before an incident occurs. Building these connections in advance strengthens our community and ensures we are prepared for any challenge.

I also invite you to meet with the ERAC leadership team to learn more about our comprehensive suite of emergency preparedness and response services for flammable liquids and gases. ERAC is your one-stop shop, dedicated to supporting you with expertise, resources, and guidance every step of the way.

As we celebrate our 40th year of service, I want to thank you for your continued loyalty to ERAC. Your trust and partnership have shaped our organization and allowed us to grow, innovate, and serve with integrity. Let’s continue to work together to keep our communities safe and resilient.

Thank you for being part of the ERAC community. Stay safe, stay prepared, and enjoy the beauty of the season.

Spencer Buckland
President

The Board of Directors for ERAC and the Canadian Propane Association recently approved changes to the ERAC Board.

• Congratulations to Kevin Johnson (Superior Propane) for taking on the role of Chair

• And to Mark Munday (NGL Supply Co. Ltd.) who is now our Vice Chair

• ERAC’s Board also extends its gratitude to Bruce Moore (Moore Propane Limited) for his commitment and contributions over his nine-year tenure with our Board.

This summer, ERAC added three new staff members to the Calgary office team.

• In mid-July, Kai Lausten joined us as our new Geographic Information Systems Specialist.

• Later in August, Lisa Reyes joined our team as our new Health and Safety Specialist.

• Finally, early this month, Kristie O'Brien came aboard as our new Executive Assistant.

Welcome to the team Kai, Lisa and Kristie!

At the same time, we bid farewell to two valued team members:

• Carley Milhausen, who served as HR Manager and Executive Associate, has been a cornerstone of our organizational development and board coordination. We thank Carley for her dedication and wish her continued success in her next chapter.

• Rob Gereghty, our Communications and Marketing Manager, has played a key role in shaping ERAC’s public presence and strategic messaging. We extend our best wishes to Rob in his future endeavors.

These transitions reflect ERAC’s ongoing commitment to growth, excellence, and collaboration.

We’re excited for what lies ahead and grateful for the contributions of all our team members — past and present.

During the past quarter, the Process Services team has continued to deliver robust support to Plan members, ensuring timely updates to existing plans and facilitating ERAP renewals throughout the year.  As of October, the team has completed 150 ERAP updates or renewals with Transport Canada.

To date, we are pleased to announce the addition of eight new Plan Participants — five joining the LPG plan, two joining the flammable liquids plan, and one joining the CFG plan — reflecting continued growth and engagement within our community.

In collaboration with subject matter experts, the team has successfully completed updates to both the LPG and flammable 

liquids ERAPs. These revisions, deemed as not impacting response capabilities and the emergency response network by Transport Canada, have been seamlessly integrated into Plan Participant access via SharePoint, with no impact to existing ERAPs. Additionally, we are progressing with an update to the Compressed Flammable Gas ERAP.

Our commitment to operational excellence is reflected in our ongoing efforts to digitize hundreds of legacy records and enhance our technical systems.

The Process Services team remains dedicated to continuous improvement and stakeholder value, ensuring that all updates and enhancements align with regulatory standards and best practices.

ERAC is committed to continuous learning and improvement.

Last month, ERAC Technical Advisors Sharlotte Stevens, Josh Watts and Marc-Olivier Boudreau travelled to Seaside, California to the Monterey Peninsula College – Public Safety Training Center to participate in The Ammonia Safety & Training Institute’s 32-hour Ammonia Responder Course.

The Ammonia Responder Course provides participants with valuable information on the challenges of responding to ammonia-related emergency events through classroom and hands-on training scenarios and live-drill exercises.

ERAC’s Operations team has been actively delivering and evaluating regional training and assessments from coast to coast, ensuring our response teams remain prepared and aligned with the highest standards of emergency readiness.

To date, 27 assessments have been completed, with full coverage expected by year-end:

• 14 Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)

• 11 Flammable Liquids (FL)

• 2 Compressed Flammable Gas (CFG)

These assessments help confirm team readiness, validate equipment, and reinforce safe response practices for incidents involving hazardous materials.

Our Technical Advisors have worked with teams across the country, demonstrating strong commitment and professionalism. Their efforts continue to strengthen ERAC’s reputation for excellence in emergency preparedness.

The goal of these assessments is to ensure our response partners are trained, certified, and capable of handling real-world emergencies. They also provide a chance to refresh training, confirm operational skills, and share updates on current industry practices.

From September 16 to 18, 2025, the Emergency Response Assistance Canada (ERAC) team traveled to Lévis for a series of training sessions in collaboration with the emergency fire brigade at Valero's Jean-Gaulin refinery.

The program included:

• Training on tank-to-tank cars

• Firefighting exercises supervised by Éric Jacques, fire chief at Valero

• Use of specialized equipment and fire pumps and ERAC fire trailers

• Integration via Valero's online training platform (health, safety, environment)

This initiative strengthened the ties between ERAC and Valero by promoting close collaboration between the teams. Teamwork, logistical coordination, and expertise sharing were at the heart of this meeting, illustrating a shared commitment to industrial safety.

Over the past year, the Emergency Management Group at ERAC has made significant strides in advancing emergency preparedness and response capabilities across Canada. In alignment with Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) Environmental Emergency (E2) Regulations, ERAC successfully conducted a comprehensive series of emergency response exercises across Canada from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland & Labrador.

National E2
Exercise Campaign

ERAC facilitated a total of 26 emergency response exercises in 2025 from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland and Labrador, including:

• 20 full-scale exercises involving live deployment of personnel, equipment, and resources

• 6 tabletop exercises focused on scenario-based discussions and response planning

E2 Plans for Propane and
Flammable Liquids

ERAC has created numerous E2 plans for propane and flammable liquids for its member organizations across the country.

These plans are tailored to meet CEPA’s E2 Regulations and include worst-case scenario modeling, public notification protocols, and emergency communication flowcharts. ERAC’s pricing model remains competitive, offering significant savings to members compared to for-profit consultants.

Hydrogen E2 
Planning Initiative

In response to the growing presence of hydrogen as a regulated substance, ERAC has initiated the development of a specialized Compressed and Refrigerated Liquid Hydrogen E2 Plan.

ERAC Incident Command 
System Training

ERAC has developed its own versions of the Incident Command System (ICS) 100 and 200 courses to support our responders in meeting the basics of ICS. These two internal adaptations are intended to meet the requirement for ERAC responders who respond to transportation (rail & road) incidents involving liquefied petroleum gases and flammable liquids. You can learn more about our ICS courses here.

Collaboration and 
Outreach

ERAC continues to work closely with industry partners, municipal fire departments, and regulatory bodies to ensure that emergency response plans are robust, actionable, and compliant. Public awareness efforts, including neighbor notification brochures and mapping and modeling reports are being integrated into all new E2 plans.

HSMS Program Review
and Modernization

The Safety and Quality team has initiated a comprehensive review and refresh of ERAC’s Health and Safety Management System (HSMS) documentation. This includes updates to hazard assessments, audit protocols, and feedback mechanisms.

ERAC’s HSMS is recognized for its rigorous standards and integration of digital tools such as Workhub, eRailSafe, MaintainX, and Motive GPS and camera systems.

Exploration of HSMS Documentation
Software and Implementation

To enhance compliance and streamline workflows, ERAC is evaluating digital platforms for HSMS documentation A decision brief is being prepared to recommend the most suitable HSMS documentation software for implementation in 2026.

Commitment to 
Safety

ERAC remains steadfast in its commitment to safety, quality, and continuous improvement. Through proactive planning, technology adoption, and rigorous documentation, the Safety and Quality Group ensures that ERAC’s emergency response capabilities are robust, compliant, and ready to serve communities across Canada.