Contingency Planning in Ontario

The Ontario Raccoon Rabies Task Force has put in place a strategic plan for countering the threat of raccoon rabies. This includes leading a program of preventive action involving local organizations, the provincial government and the federal government. The result of this preventive action are a series of raccoon rabies community contingency plans.

What is a community contingency plan?

It is an action plan at the local level that will:

• help keep raccoon rabies from infecting more areas of Ontario;
• help contain an outbreak if it should occur;
• help people to protect themselves and their communities.

Using a model developed in the Niagara Region, the plan outlines where raccoon rabies might enter a community, who would be affected, who should be alerted first, what needs to be done quickly, who does what needs to be done and, finally, how the citizens are kept informed.

Who creates community contingency plans?

Local representatives from government and non-government agencies, companies and individuals that have an interest in raccoon rabies. These may include: the local health unit, police department, clerk's office, animal control agency, humane society, wildlife rehabilitators, wildlife control companies (or local trappers' council) and the local offices of the ministries of Natural Resources; Health; Agriculture and Food; and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Who can I talk to about my community's contingency plan?

Contact your local health unit, the lead agency for your community's contingency plan.