Capabilities-based planning (a construct of DND Canada, CAPDEM DIGCAP, www.CAPDEM.FORCES.GC.CA) is an approach that developed out of military research and cooperation agreements (TTCP, The Technical Co-operation Program, www.dtic.mil/ttcp/ ) among several nations, notably the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. It applies entirely to the civil sector, specifically in preparing for accidental, natural or man-made disasters.

The approach involves planning, prioritizing and choosing, within an economic framework, and despite some uncertainties, response capabilities that are flexible and interchangeable, in the face of a vast palette of threats and risks.

This all-risk (or multi-risk) approach maximizes the efficiency of existing systems, uses existing processes and procedures to their full capacity, smoothes over the uncertainties inherent in an all-risk approach, identifies priorities, and maximizes informed economic decision-making.

Capabilities-based planning is, in and of itself, part of a wider series of preparedness activities, which include preparation (of the stakeholders, the population, the responders...), communications, planning (response, emergency, infrastructure protection...), cooperation between the different partners (the public, private industry, NGOs, national associations, local, provincial and federal authorities), training (through exercises, workshops, simulations...), equipment (detection, response, and decontamination...), and exercises.

Various tools have been developed to support and guide the capabilities analysis: the Universal Task List (which number about 1600); All Hazards Planning Scenarios (15 in number); the Target Capabilities List (37 in number); and Resource Types (approximately 120 in number). These tools are useful for, notably:

• Hazard analysis
• Planning
• Justifying investments and development strategies
• Preparedness estimate
• Task-based training
• Testing response capabilities through exercises

In short, capabilities-based planning answers the following question: Do we have the right mix of training, organizations, plans, people, leadership and management, equipment, and facilities to perform a required emergency task?

Link to Canadian Capability Based Planning web site: http://www.cdn-cbp.org/index-eng.php?page=home