Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability Assessment

To keep improving how we make decisions, understand community vulnerabilities, and mitigate emergency risks and hazards, the Halifax Regional Municipality Emergency Management Division is conducting a Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (HRVA), starting spring 2023.

Divided into four phases, the HRVA program will establish profiles and recommendations for action for each of the municipality’s districts. Informed through comprehensive public engagement, these profiles will increase our understanding of human-, natural- or conflict-caused hazards that exist and how they increase community vulnerability. The recommendations will then be put into use and adapted based on continual review of HRVA profiles.

Review the About the HRVA tab below and various resources available under the Documents tab to learn more about the HRVA.

How can I contribute to the HRVA?

The easiest way to contribute to the HRVA is to attend a public engagement session in your district and then contribute to our online survey. See our Public Engagement Schedule for a list of engagements near you, all engagements are scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. unless otherwise stated. Public engagement sessions are not limited to residents of that specific district and are open to all HRM residents. Click the specific event for additional information.

The information residents and related stakeholders have to offer about the potential hazards and risks that may increase the vulnerability of our communities is vital to the HRVA process. The municipality’s Emergency Management Division will host a series of public engagement sessions by district to introduce the process, gather local knowledge on historical hazards and likelihood of reoccurrence as well as to gather knowledge of emergencies occurring in the distant past.

These public engagement sessions will be held in person, with multiple opportunities to attend a session in each district. Participants can provide their details live during the session and/or offer their points or additional information through our online survey.

If you are unable to attend an in-person session near you but would like to contribute to the HRVA program, read through the About the HRVA content below and complete the survey.

Please note that the district engagement sessions for Phase 2 of the Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability Assessment have concluded. You can still provide input in the process by completing the HRVA Survey linked here.

The recording of the virtual public engagement session is now available on Shape Your City. You can view the recording, including a Q&A period, through here.