Sarnia to consider $121K emergency response drone backed by provincial grant

A new report to council outlines plans for a tethered drone system aimed at improving response times for fires, floods, hazardous spills and search operations, with $50,000 in provincial funding already secured.

Sarnia City Council will consider a proposal to purchase a tethered drone system designed to strengthen emergency response across the city, supported in part by a $50,000 provincial grant.

The provincial funding comes from Ontario’s Community Emergency Preparedness Grant for 2025–26. The City of Sarnia applied in October 2025 and was notified of its successful application on March 19, 2026, in a letter from the Ministry of Emergency Preparedness and Response.

If approved, the drone system would come at a total estimated cost of $121,645.46, including HST. The province would cover $50,000 of that amount, with the remaining $71,645.46 proposed to be funded through the city’s Capital Infrastructure Reserve using savings from completed projects.

The recommendation before council asks for authorization for the Mayor and Clerk to sign the transfer payment agreement tied to the grant, as well as approval to allocate reserve funds for the purchase.

According to the report, the drone would be used by trained personnel across multiple departments, including fire services, police, and emergency management. The system would provide real-time aerial intelligence during incidents where visibility, access, or speed present challenges for traditional response methods.

City staff say the technology could assist in a wide range of emergencies regularly seen in Sarnia. These include flooding along the St. Clair River and Lake Huron, hazardous material incidents in Chemical Valley and along Highway 402 and the international border, missing persons cases in remote or waterfront areas, and structure fires in densely populated neighbourhoods.

The drone is intended to integrate into existing response protocols and support faster, safer decision-making during critical incidents.

Because the grant funding was not confirmed during the 2026 budget process, the purchase was not originally included in the capital plan. City finance staff were consulted in preparing the report and identified the infrastructure reserve as the proposed funding source for the remaining balance.

The proposal is being brought forward by Fire Chief Jeff Weber and prepared by Deputy Fire Chief and Community Emergency Management Coordinator James Kostuk.

Council is expected to review the recommendation on April 27.