Dunlop checks in on equipment purchased in Parry Sound–Muskoka through $380K emergency preparedness grant

(L-R): Paul Calleja (Huntsville/Lake of Bays Deputy Fire Chief), Minister Jill Dunlop, S/S John-Paul Graham (Huntsville OPP), Gary Monahan (Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Chief) and MPP Graydon Smith in Huntsville, Ont., on Fri., Nov. 21, 2025.

Jill Dunlop, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response, completed her tour of Parry Sound–Muskoka, where she checked in on how communities up north have made use of her ministry’s investment.

Nine communities in the riding had received a combined $380,000 through the 2024-25 Community Emergency Preparedness Grant (CEPG), which the province says is aimed at enhancing support for equipment, training and maintenance.

Minister Dunlop made stops at three of them on Friday – in Huntsville, Magnetawan and the Township of Perry – where her office says she spoke with first responders and saw demonstrations of the equipment that was purchased through the CEPG.

“Our government has provided more than $380,000 to nine municipalities and organizations across the region to support the purchase of emergency equipment, essential supplies, and enhanced training,” said Dunlop in part of her statement in a news release. “We remain committed to strengthening local capacity and ensuring communities are well-prepared and resilient in the face of emergencies.”

According to her ministry’s office, the Town of Huntsville and Wasauksing First Nation received the highest amount of CEPG funding at $50,000 each. The town purchased two-way radios and a repeater station, and first responders received training on how to operate the equipment. Wasauksing First Nation purchased a pop-up tent, chainsaws, laptops, a drone and radios to better deal with extreme winter weather conditions.

“Huntsville’s natural rural setting has a considerable impact on our emergency preparations and operations,” said Nancy Alcock, Mayor of Huntsville. “Thanks to the CEPG, the Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department now has more reliable communication devices to ensure our responders can communicate when they need it most, no matter how remote their location. This investment has a tangible impact on the safety of our first responders and our residents — whether they’re right in town or far from cellular service.”

Dunlop’s ministry office reports that the seven other communities used the CEPG funding as follows:

Municipality of Magnetawan ($48,385): Purchased a backup generator for its local operations centre, as well as communications equipment and drones.

Township of Perry ($42,570): Purchased a backup generator for its community centre shelter.

Municipality of McDougall ($9,750): Purchased a new drone for wildland fire response and search and rescue efforts.

Town of Kearney ($41,272): Purchased hoses, pumps, tanks, drones and fuel lines for wildland firefighting.

Township of McMurrich/Monteith ($49,518): Purchased tablets, electronics and satellite phones for its operations centre and upgraded its generator. Sandbags were purchased for spring flooding.

Local Services Board of Restoule ($43,069): Purchased radios and developed an emergency plan and website to relay important information.

Shawanaga First Nation ($46,625): Installed two backup generators at its finance trailer and administration building to keep critical services online during outages.

“I’m thankful that our government is recognizing the increasing need for municipalities to be able to respond to emergencies,” said Graydon Smith, Parry Sound–Muskoka MPP. “Emergencies can strike at any time and in many different ways. Having the right equipment, training, and strategies in place is vital to minimizing the impact from emergency situations.”

The province says the recipients of the funding were chosen through a rigorous and competitive review process.