Civil-military coordination in responding to nature-triggered disasters: understanding the challenges and opportunities of the Canadian emergency response structure

Abstract

This study explores the challenges and opportunities associated with engaging the military in domestic nature-triggered disasters within Canada’s evolving federal and provincial emergency management framework. As climate change intensifies the scale and frequency of emergencies, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has become increasingly involved in domestic responses—despite operating within a governance structure that prioritizes provincial autonomy and civilian-led coordination. Using a qualitative case study approach, this research draws on inputs from 26 Key Informant interviews, a multi-stakeholder focus group session, and a comprehensive literature review to examine how institutional structures, interagency coordination, and stakeholder perspectives influence military involvement in disaster scenarios. The findings reveal that, although the CAF offers critical operational capabilities—such as logistics and rapid air deployment—its integration into domestic response systems remains are challenged by procedural ambiguity, organizational culture gaps, and varying levels of operational and institutional preparedness across civilian agencies, particularly in areas of training, equipment, and interagency coordination readiness. The research identifies strategic risks in Canada’s overall disaster response capacity, including unsustainable reliance on military support, delays in mobilization, and insufficient investment in local disaster infrastructure. Through comparative analysis with selected countries, namely the United States (US) and New Zealand, the study highlights how clear mandates, joint training, and intermediate response bodies can improve coordination and efficiency. The thesis calls for a nationally coherent framework that clarifies the CAF’s support role, strengthens civilian capacity, and ensures balanced disaster governance in Canada.