The purpose of a Community Risk Assessment is to provide Council and staff with a datadriven understanding of the community's risks from a fire protection and public safety perspective. The assessment examines how local conditions, demographics, infrastructure, development patterns, emergency response history, and community characteristics influence the demand for fire protection services.

To complete the assessment, staff gathered and analyzed information from numerous sources, including but not limited to:

• Lanark Highlands Fire Service emergency response data from 2020 to 2024;
• Ontario Fire Marshal incident reporting data;
• 2021 Statistics Canada Census information;
• Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) property and building stock records;
• Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping and municipal records;
• Township agreements, by-laws, and emergency management documents;
• Office of the Fire Marshal technical guidance;
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards and best practices;
• Historical fire loss information; and
• Publicly available demographic, economic, and community data.

Notable findings include:

Residential Fire Risk

Residential occupancies account for approximately 98% of the Township's building stock and were associated with the overwhelming majority of reported structure fires. The assessment identified residential fires as one of the Township's highest fire protection risks.

Aging Population

Lanark Highlands has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 years and older than the provincial average. Seniors are recognized as a population group with elevated fire risk and unique fire and life safety considerations.

Transportation-Related Emergencies

Motor vehicle collisions and rescue incidents continue to represent a significant portion of emergency responses. Vehicle collision and extrication incidents accounted for the majority of rescue-related calls during the review period. Severe Weather and Infrastructure Impacts The Township experiences recurring impacts from significant weather events, including ice storms, flooding, wind storms, and power outages. Public hazard incidents involving hydro infrastructure and power lines represent a notable operational demand on Fire Service resources.

Rural and Geographic Challenges

Lanark Highlands is the largest municipality by land area in Lanark County, covering more than 1,000 square kilometres. The Township's geography, dispersed development pattern, extensive road network, water bodies, and remote areas present unique challenges for emergency response and service delivery.

Wildland and Vegetation Fire Risk

The presence of extensive forested areas and significant wildland-urban interface areas creates an ongoing risk of vegetation and wildland fires affecting residential and developed properties.

Implications for Future Planning

The CRA does not establish service levels or prescribe budget expenditures. Rather, it provides a factual and analytical foundation to support future decisions regarding fire protection services.

The purpose of presenting the draft CRA at this stage is to provide Council and the public with an opportunity to review the data, methodology, and findings prior to finalization. Community input is an important component of the CRA process and will assist in ensuring the final document accurately reflects local risks, service levels, and community priorities.