Elliot Lake tragedy leads to emergency response teams investment: North Bay and Thunder Bay will host two of 10 provincial emergency response teams.

Seven years after two people died and several others were injured in the collapse of the roof at Elliot Lake's Algo Centre Mall, the Ontario government is investing in emergency response measures across the province.

On Aug. 7, Solicitor General Sylvia Jones announced $2.5 million in funding for 10 emergency response teams in six locations across the province --including in North Bay and in Thunder Bay.

The province said the decision was a direct result of the recommendations following the Elliot Lake Inquiry. The one-year inquiry examined the events surrounding the partial collapse of the Algo Centre Mall roof on June 23, 2012, along with the emergency management and response.

Lucie Aylwin and Doloris Perizzolo were killed in the incident, and several others were injured.

At the time, questions arose as to why the rescue effort did not call on mine rescue volunteers, whose knowledge and expertise in emergency response could have potentially aided in the rescue and recovery efforts.

Mine Rescue is a network of 875 highly trained and respected volunteer miners stationed at 40 underground mines across Ontario, including about 200 more at various open pit operations.

Jones said the response teams would cover urban search and rescue, chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive, and hazardous materials. Teams will also be located in Ottawa, Peterborough, Toronto and Windsor.

"When disaster strikes, Ontario families need to have confidence that help is on the way. That's why we're providing communities across the...