​The Integrated Partnership for Regional Emergency Management (IPREM) was an evolution and expansion of the work and structure of the Joint Emergency Liaison Committee (JELC). A 2006 review by JELC’s Steering Committee found that no adequate regional emergency planning structure existed for Metro Vancouver and also highlighted the need for higher levels of preparedness, education and flexible, scalable plans.

Where JELC was a staff partnership, IPREM has a governance structure and legislated authority that is supported by local, regional and provincial elected and appointed representatives. In 2009 the Minister of PSSG and the Chair of the Metro Vancouver Board signed a Memorandum of Understanding that formalized IPREM as a jointly funded equal partnership, with the mission: “lead the integration of planning for emergency management across the region to serve the greater public interest”. IPREM is designed to collaboratively engage all levels of government and private sector agencies in regional emergency planning initiatives for Metro Vancouver.