[2] One of the primary changes from previous Acts was the inclusion of emergencies related to disease or health risks, resulting from the poor response of the Government of Canada and Government of Ontario to the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak in Canada, centred in Toronto.
[7] The Act requires all ministries of the Government of Ontario to create an emergency management plan.
[11] Amongst its requirements are the development of an emergency plan, an annual training program for emergency response personnel, an annual response exercise program, public education campaigns, and to execute a Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment.
[9] A declaration of a state of emergency under the Act may result in the temporary suspension of employment for some individuals, for example because they are required to provide assistance to a member of the family.
[12] In such cases, the affected individuals are protected by the Employment Standards Act, which entitles them to an unpaid leave of absence.