The Ontario government is expanding its Ontario Corps emergency response network by welcoming the Ontario Stone, Sand and Gravel Association as its latest partner.
Through the partnership, the province will be able to leverage the association’s members and construction equipment during emergencies, as part of a broader plan to build a network of partners and volunteers ready to respond to local disasters and deploy resources on short notice.
“Welcoming Ontario Stone, Sand and Gravel Association to the Ontario Corps network means we can better facilitate access to heavy machinery and key expertise during emergencies,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response. “In the event of a flood, wildland fire or other emergency, we can assist municipalities in getting critical equipment and resources mobilized quickly to impacted communities.”
During emergencies, the association can call on its members to provide access to expertise and construction equipment such as excavators, bulldozers, trucks, snow removal machinery, portable generators and pumps. That equipment could support flood mitigation, debris cleanup, restoration efforts and transporting supplies, among other activities.
The Ontario Corps network can be mobilized within 24 to 72 hours to help communities affected by emergencies, deploying resources including personnel, debris removal tools, supplies, flood barriers and drones. People of all skill levels and professional backgrounds are encouraged to volunteer, with training provided and volunteers matched to partner organizations based on their skills, interests and availability.
Ontario Corps volunteers have been deployed on several occasions, most recently during the response to summer flooding in the Niagara Region and during the 2026 wildland fire season.
The stone, sand and gravel association joins the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario, The Home Depot Canada, Labatt Breweries of Canada, Niagara College, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Ontario Mine Rescue, the Ontario Road Builders’ Association and Uber Canada as Ontario Corps’ latest partners.
A new Emergency Preparedness and Response Headquarters, equipped with technology to serve as a 24/7, year-round emergency command centre, will become the future home of Ontario Corps.
The association is a not-for-profit industry group representing more than 280 stone, sand and gravel producers and suppliers, whose members collectively supply the majority of the roughly 164 million tonnes of aggregate used annually in the province to build and maintain Ontario’s infrastructure.
