The Ontario government has welcomed Labatt Breweries of Canada as one of the first private sector partners in Ontario Corps, a province wide emergency response network.
Ontario Corps was created in 2024 to build a coordinated system of trained volunteers and partner organizations that can be mobilized quickly during emergencies such as wildland fires, floods and severe storms.
Under the new agreement, Labatt could be called upon to provide critical supplies and logistical support during emergencies. That includes cans of clean drinking water, trucks, drivers, forklifts, pallets, refrigeration facilities and access to large warehouse spaces. The company also has the ability to retool production lines to manufacture items such as hand sanitizer if needed.
Labatt’s Disaster Relief Program has donated more than one million cans of water to communities across Canada since it began in 2012. In July 2025, the company provided 40,000 cans of water to Pikangikum First Nation during a major wildland fire that forced thousands of residents from their homes.
The province says Ontario Corps was successfully deployed several times in 2025, including during wildland fire responses and the spring ice storm.
A new Emergency Preparedness and Response Headquarters is also planned to serve as the future home of Ontario Corps, operating as a 24 hour command centre equipped with modern technology.
Ontario residents of all backgrounds and skill levels are encouraged to volunteer with Ontario Corps. Volunteers receive training and are matched with partner organizations based on their experience and availability.
More information about Ontario Corps is available through the provincial government website.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
