Thank you, Chair.

My name is Mike Ellis. I'm the Deputy Premier and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services for the Province of Alberta. In another life, I was a sergeant in the Calgary Police Service.

First, I want to acknowledge that I'm speaking to you from Alberta, the traditional territory of the signatories of Treaties 6, 7, and 8. I also want to acknowledge the Métis people of Alberta who have, of course, a deep connection to this land.

I want to start by expressing my personal thanks and appreciation on behalf of the premier and the Government of Alberta to the over 650 Canadian Armed Forces personnel and Government of Canada staff who provided invaluable assistance to Alberta during this year's hazard season. The assistance they provided made a tremendous contribution to the safety of Albertans, and the success of our disaster season.

The 2023 hazard season in Alberta was a complex series of disaster events that saw 50 communities impacted by wildfires, resulting in approximately 38,000 Albertans being evacuated, and over 2.1 million hectares burned. It was the first time in Alberta's history that a state of emergency was called.

Overall, our response to the unprecedented 2023 wildfire season was successful, but Alberta's government recognizes the continuous improvements that are important in emergency management. Due to the scope, scale and overall complexity of the 2023 season, we are also undertaking a wider review of Alberta's emergency management system that will include local authorities, and will look at opportunities for longer-term improvement. We are committed to working with all our stakeholders to make sure that their input is captured during the review process.

In June, in addition to the wildfires, there was also a flood in west-central Alberta that impacted five communities. On July 1, there was an EF4 level tornado that touched down in Alberta, and impacted the towns of Didsbury and Carstairs in Mountain View County. Finally, in August, Alberta hosted approximately 21,000 evacuees from Northwest Territories who were displaced due to wildfires in their communities. Nearly half of Northwest Territories was evacuated, and residents found refuge in Alberta.

The Canadian Armed Forces members assisted in evacuating hundreds of first nations, Métis and other residents from the Fort Chipewyan area of northeast Alberta who were at risk from encroaching wildfires, and this is, of course, a region of Alberta that is extremely isolated.

From May 10 to June 13, several hundred Canadian Armed Forces troops assisted on the ground in fighting the wildfires in various locations in Alberta, including Grande Prairie, Drayton Valley, Fox Creek, Whitecourt, McLennan, Slave Lake and Edson. Members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police worked in close partnership with the Alberta sheriffs to secure and protect communities that were at risk from the wildfires or that had been evacuated.

As the minister responsible for emergency management in Alberta, it is gratifying to see the practical and effective support that is provided by the Government of Canada when disaster strikes. Alberta is not a regular consumer of these services, as the last time that Canadian Armed Forces members were needed for assistance was back in 2016. Of course, we thank the federal government for its support, and I look forward to our continued practical and meaningful co-operation in managing disasters in Alberta.

On behalf of the people of Alberta, thank you.