Public Safety Minister Vic Toews says the federal government has formally adopted its emergency response plan, months after the auditor general accused Ottawa of being unprepared to co-ordinate emergency measures.

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews announces the Federal Emergency Response Plan in Ottawa on Monday. Toews says the plan is designed to ensure various levels of government work together to prevent and respond to disasters. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

"This plan co-ordinates federal departments to ensure that we interface properly with the provincial government and ensure that federal resources are brought to bear quickly on any particular emergency," Toews said Monday at the Canadian Emergency Management College in Ottawa.

The federal emergency response plan [FERP] details the emergency management roles and responsibilities of federal institutions in case of man-made or natural disasters, including floods, forest fires, pandemics and terrorist attacks.

Toews said an emergency response plan has always been in place but the auditor general wanted the plan formalized.

"The lack of a formal plan that had been adopted was a concern of the AG. We, in fact, agreed that it should be formally adopted. That's what we've done because it allows everyone to see exactly what the plan is."

Last November, Auditor General Sheila Fraser said Public Safety Canada had not completed its emergency plan, meaning the department didn't have the formal authority to co-ordinate other federal departments, provinces and territories to prevent confusion during disasters.

But she also criticized the department for not figuring out what critical national infrastructure aspects — such as food, water and energy supplies; health and financial services; and communication networks — need to be protected during such events.

She also said the government had not developed a system for police, firefighters and other first responders to have compatible radios for communications in a disaster.

As well, Fraser said the department had not developed a strategy to deal with internet attacks.