Business Continuity Planning - A Guide

Non-governmental organizations, including voluntary organizations and businesses, provide many essential services to Canadians. For that reason, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC) has prepared a guide that includes suggestions and guidelines on how to prepare a plan to continue business after disruption by a disaster such as a flood, major fire or earthquake.

Summary

Business Continuity Planning, A Guide provides suggestions and guidelines on how virtually any business or organization can develop a business resumption plan.

Business continuity planning prepares an organization to respond to an interruption of business functions by ensuring the continued availability of essential services, programs and operations, including all the resources involved.

A business continuity plan enables critical services or products to be continually delivered to clients. Instead of focusing on resuming a business after critical operations have ceased or recovering after a disaster, a business continuity plan endeavours to ensure that critical operations continue to be available.

This booklet was written by Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC) in consultation with the Disaster Recovery Information Exchange, a non-profit organization* that exists solely to share information on disaster recovery planning and associated issues.

This is a free publication that is available from the Communications Directorate, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC) at the address listed below. An electronic version is also available on the PSEPC Web site.

Additional sources of advice on business continuity planning are also available. For a listing of other organizations, you may wish to contact your local Canada Business service centre.

*Note: "non-profit" also known as nonprofit organizations, non profit organizations, not-for-profit organizations, voluntary organizations and volunteer organizations.

New Brunswick Contact(s):
See National Contact.

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National Contact(s):
Communications Directorate
Public Safety Canada
2nd floor, 122 Bank Street
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0W6
Telephone: 613-944-4875
Fax: 613-998-9589
Toll-free (information): 1-800-830-3118
E-mail: communications@bpiepc.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/index-eng.aspx