Transfer of Section 7 Emergency Powers

Summary#

The Canada Gazette published an order, Order Transferring from the Minister of State (Emergency Preparedness) to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness the Powers, Duties and Functions Under Section 7 of the Emergency Management Act: SI/2025-38, that moves certain federal emergency-management powers back to a different minister. The Governor General in Council approved the transfer on March 14, 2025, and the notice was registered on March 26, 2025.

What it does#

• Transfers the powers, duties and functions under section 7 of the Emergency Management Act from the Minister of State (Emergency Preparedness) to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.
• Says the transfer is made under the Public Service Rearrangement and Transfer of Duties Act and was authorized by P.C. 2025-418 on March 14, 2025.
• Notes these same section 7 powers had earlier been transferred to the Minister of State by P.C. 2024-1183 on November 8, 2024.

Who's affected#

• The federal ministers and their offices directly involved: the Minister of State (Emergency Preparedness) and the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.
• Federal departments and staff who support emergency management work may see an administrative change in who holds the formal authority.
• Other governments and emergency partners who deal with the federal lead for emergency management might now address some issues to a different minister.

If you want to know the operational details of what section 7 covers or whether this will change how emergency services are delivered, the Gazette notice does not give those specifics.

Why it matters#

• It changes which federal minister formally holds the listed emergency-management powers. That can affect who signs decisions, leads coordination, or represents the federal government in certain emergency-management matters.
• For most people, this is likely an administrative shift with no immediate change to on-the-ground emergency services. For officials, partners and stakeholders it can matter for communications, responsibility, and who to contact at the federal level.