In 2024 – 2025, the UBC Disaster Resilience Research Network (DRRN) and the City of Vancouver Emergency Management Agency (VEMA) collaborated on a mixed-methods study exploring disaster preparedness and resilience across Vancouver. Through surveys and focus group discussions, the research team aimed to better understand how individuals and communities perceive, plan for, and act upon disaster risks in an increasingly complex hazard landscape. The research findings will support work being done by City of Vancouver staff to address barriers to emergency preparedness.
Two primary research tools were used: (1) a joint survey consisting of a City of Vancouver-administered module focused on emergency preparedness (2,905 responses) along with a follow-up UBC-administered module focused on risk perception and the impact of prior disaster experience on preparedness (1,743 responses), and (2) six focus group discussions with a total of 50 participants. These tools gathered insights into risk perception, preparedness behaviours, trust in institutions, and perceived barriers to preparedness.
Research Team
UBC DRRN
- Jonathan Eaton, Executive Director and Postdoctoral Research Fellow, UBC Disaster Resilience Research Network
- Michael Hooper, Associate Professor, School of Community & Regional Planning
- Hang Cheng Ip, Masters student, School of Public Policy & Global Affairs
- Theodore Lim, Associate Professor, School of Community & Regional Planning
- Sara Shneiderman, Associate Professor, Anthropology and School of Public Policy & Global Affairs
- Raahina Somani, Masters student (alum.), School of Public Policy & Global Affairs
University College London
- Nicole Paul, PhD Candidate, DE|RISC Lab
VEMA
- Sarah Hunn
- Miranda Myles
- Gillian Wong
Funding for this project came from the BC Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness through a contribution agreement with UBC DRRN, supplemented by support from the UBC School of Public Policy & Global Affairs.
Thank you to Stephanie Chang, Kara Gibbs, Carlos Molina Hutt, Ayase Kay, Lara Sarlak, and Jocelyn Stacey for their contributions to research design, data analysis, implementation, communications, and administration over time.