Vancouverites are taking steps to prepare for earthquakes, wildfire smoke and other emergencies, but say they need clearer information and stronger community ties to feel truly ready, according to a new study by the University of British Columbia and the City of Vancouver.
The study, led by UBC's Disaster Resilience Research Network in partnership with the City of Vancouver Emergency Management Agency, surveyed nearly 3,000 residents and held six focus groups to explore how people perceive risk and prepare for disasters.
Nearly 70 per cent said they had emergency supplies or savings set aside, and more than 65 per cent planned to take two or more preparedness actions in the coming year-from packing essentials to downloading Alertable , the emergency alert app used by the City. Yet almost one-third said their biggest obstacle was finding information, and that rose to nearly 40 per cent among non-English speakers.
"Knowing you can count on neighbours and institutions during a crisis is just as important as having a go-bag or medical kit," said Dr. Jonathan Eaton, lead author of the report and executive director of the UBC Disaster Resilience Research Network. "People feel more confident when they trust their community and local government, and when neighbourhood-specific information is easy to access."
Preparedness starts at home-but not everyone feels equipped
Earthquakes and wildfire smoke topped the list of concerns, followed by extreme heat, coastal flooding and disease outbreaks.
Housing status and type strongly influenced how prepared residents felt. Tenants were less certain than homeowners about the safety of their homes and whether they could return to their home after an emergency. The report calls for clearer guidance to help tenants, landlords and homeowners prepare effectively.
The study also highlighted emotional and financial barriers. Thirty-two per cent of women said they felt overwhelmed when thinking about emergencies, while half of gender-diverse respondents cited financial constraints as their biggest challenge-pointing to the need for guidance that reflects diverse emotional and financial realities.
The findings show that disaster planning works best when tailored to each neighbourhood and grounded in residents' lived experience. "People want to be part of a bigger effort," said co-author Raahina Somani, who contributed to the research as a master's student at UBC's School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA). "Residents feel more confident when their own actions fit into a wider neighbourhood plan."
Community connection is key-but access is uneven
Participants expressed strong interest in community-based approaches such as local hubs, hands-on training and clearer ways to connect with neighbours and institutions. Those already involved in a group or organization were far more likely to feel motivated by public education efforts. Yet only 15 per cent reported having access to such support, highlighting a major opportunity to strengthen community networks.
While many trust the technical expertise of emergency agencies, they were less confident in government's ability to act quickly and fairly in a crisis-concerns sharpened by ongoing housing and affordability challenges.
"Trust is as much about relationships as it is about expertise," said Dr. Sara Shneiderman, principal investigator and co-author, as well as Disaster Resilience Research Network co-lead and associate professor at SPPGA and the department of anthropology . "Building that confidence across communities is what will ultimately make the city more resilient."
The City of Vancouver is using the findings to inform its public education strategy on emergency preparedness and will repeat the survey in 2027 to measure progress.
"We're excited to use this research to move our work forward on community-based preparedness," said Daniel Stevens, director of Vancouver Emergency Management Agency. "We're encouraged to learn that people want to be prepared and we now have more insight into how we reach more people with the information they need."
The research is part of a broader UBC-led initiative to support disaster resilience across B.C. While focused on Vancouver, the study offers lessons to help other communities strengthen their own emergency preparedness efforts.
