Pandemic Planning for Canadian Commercial Real Estate
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BOMA Canada Launches New Pandemic Planning Guide
2007-04 ::: BOMA Canada Press Release
To assist Canadian commercial real estate companies in making pandemic planning an integral part of their disaster preparedness plans and policies, the Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada (BOMA Canada) and a Task Force of key industry leaders have been proactively engaged in developing the just-released comprehensive Pandemic Planning Guide for Commercial Buildings (Updated 2010-02 version -- English / Francais).
In addition to the new Pandemic Planning Guide for Commercial Buildings, BOMA Canada has established a publicly-accessible Pandemic Planning Site for Canadian Commercial Real Estate, available at www.bomacanada-pandemic.ca. The site, which contains numerous industry and government resource links, provides a wealth of important information and will continue to be updated regularly. The Pandemic Planning Guide for Commercial Buildings is now available for free download from this site.
The National Industry Pandemic Planning Task Force was struck a year ago to formulate a common approach to public domain pandemic issues affecting commercial buildings. Composed of senior representatives from major commercial real estate companies across the country, as well as representation from BOMA Canada, the group also benefited from the support of Marsh Canada as an expert in business continuity and Dr. Donald Low, Chief of Microbiology at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, as the recognized medical expert on pandemic issues.
The Task Force has ably met its objective of developing a consistent approach to mitigate the impact of a pandemic on Canada’s workers. The strategies have been compiled into a comprehensive Pandemic Planning Guide for Commercial Buildings. This Guide, prepared in tandem with critical service providers across the country, includes recommended procedures, public responses and standard communication. Task Force participants and contributors to the document are unanimous in their endorsement of the Guide as the appropriate response plan, designed to augment individual companies’ own disaster and continuity planning. As Dr. Donald Low asserts, “The Pandemic Planning Guide for Commercial Buildings is, in my opinion, one of the most comprehensive and thorough approaches to emergency planning for commercial building owners and managers alike.”
The broad range of activities undertaken by the Task Force in developing the report included consultation with key stakeholders across the country, to determine potential service delivery impacts on commercial building operations and to understand tenant service expectations in the context of pandemic planning and mitigation activities. The medical expertise provided greatly assisted the Task Force in incorporating details on effective outbreak control measures and tenant / employee education in pandemic situations. The due diligence of the Task Force is reflected in both the scope and detail of the Pandemic Planning Guide.
BOMA Canada is committed to its leadership role as a central resource for timely and consistent pandemic planning information for the Canadian commercial real estate industry, serving as a central communications point for BOMA members, the industry at large, service providers and other stakeholders about pandemic developments of concern to the industry. In addition to BOMA Canada’s national Emergency Preparedness Task Force, the local BOMA Associations have established their own task forces across the country, to serve as critical links to regional and municipal authorities in major centres, should a pandemic or other crisis occur.
The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Canada is the voice of the Canadian commercial real estate industry with over 2,500 members in regional associations across Canada. On behalf of the building owners, managers, developers, facilities managers, asset managers, leasing agents, brokers, and the product and service providers to over 1.9 billion square feet of commercial real estate in Canada, BOMA Canada addresses issues of national concern, and promotes excellence in the industry through information, education advocacy and recognition.
Links to other sites
Canadian Links
- Canada - Pandemic Influenza
- British Columbia
- Alberta
- Saskatchewan
- Manitoba
- Ontario
- Quebec
- New Brunswick
- Nova Scotia
- Prince Edward Island
- Newfoundland & Labrador
- Yukon
- North West Territories
- Nunavut Territories
- Public Health Agency Canada
Industry Partner Links
International Links
- Official US Government site
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- US Department of Agriculture
- Department of Homeland Security
© 2010 The Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada
www.bomacanada.ca