Canadian firms confident in disaster readiness but lack real plans

A new report from Samsara indicates that while Canadian businesses claim the highest level of self-reported readiness for disasters globally, many remain significantly underprepared when it comes to real crisis response and operational continuity.

The State of Connected Operations Report, released by Samsara, draws on insights from 1,550 emergency management professionals spanning 21 industries across seven countries. The report highlights a notable gap between confidence and actual readiness among Canadian organisations.

According to the findings, 40% of Canadian organisations state they are "fully prepared" for a disaster, representing the highest level of confidence among all countries surveyed. However, only 1% of Canadian organisations in high-risk regions currently have an active disaster plan in place, which is the lowest rate globally. This suggests a substantial disconnect between perceived preparedness and actual operational capability.

Data and visibility issues

The report also found that 76% of Canadian organisations lack consistent access to real-time operational data during a crisis. This creates potential blind spots for leaders managing emergencies and can impede timely response efforts. In addition to the gaps in real-time visibility, nearly all respondents-94%-expressed concern about losing internal communications during an emergency, marking the highest such concern among all countries in the study.

Further compounding these issues, 99% of Canadian respondents reported a desire to improve how their organisations communicate with the public, partners, and customers in the event of a disaster. Meanwhile, 95% are worried that frontline teams do not have sufficient training to handle major disruptions.

Recent crisis context

These findings arrive at a time when Canada has recently experienced several significant operational threats. The past year has seen record wildfires in British Columbia, severe flooding in Nova Scotia, and targeted cyberattacks on public infrastructure including hospitals and municipalities. Such incidents have illustrated the vulnerability of essential services and supply chains in the absence of effective disaster planning and robust communication protocols.

"Canada's biggest risk isn't a lack of awareness-it's the operational blind spots that appear when smoke, storms, or outages hit," said Liz Klein, Director, Samsara, Canada. "Closing those gaps means real-time visibility, multiple lines of communication, and trained frontline teams so organizations can keep people safe and services running during times of crises."

The study further noted that 71% of those surveyed in Canada expect to return to normal operations within three days following a significant event, despite the low rate of formalised disaster plans. Financial losses have also been linked to preparedness shortcomings, with 99% reporting losses tied to an inability to locate critical business assets during emergencies.

Technology and training

When asked about what would help most during crises, respondents highlighted communications and collaboration tools (59%), visualisation solutions (55%), and real-time monitoring and alerts (54%) as top priorities. Additionally, around 90% believe that AI will fundamentally reshape disaster response within the next five years.

The report points out that organisations with proactive planning, connected technology infrastructure, and regular frontline training tend to recover more quickly from disruptions and incur fewer losses. For many, their current preparedness is hindered by outdated systems and fragmented processes, especially during fast-moving emergencies. The study notes this reliance on confidence can be problematic if not matched by practical measures and investments.

Samsara, a provider of asset and operational monitoring platforms, states that its solutions aim to close these preparedness gaps by giving Canadian businesses improved real-time visibility and smarter, more efficient response tools. This approach has become increasingly relevant as businesses and public services in Canada continue to face both traditional and emerging threats.

The State of Connected Operations Report provides an overview of these trends and suggests a pressing need for Canadian organisations to translate their confidence into concrete disaster planning, improved connectivity, and enhanced frontline support to ensure business continuity and public safety in future crises.