ESS or Emergency Social Services are services which the Ministry of Social Services (MSS) delivers on behalf of the province when a community has formally requested the assistance of the Province to help them manage the effects of an emergency in that community.

So what does this really mean? Every year, across Canada there are a variety of natural, technological and human caused emergencies such as floods, forest fires, tornadoes, blizzards, hazardous chemical spills, transportation and industrial accidents. When an emergency occurs, people often require immediate assistance for basic needs such as food, shelter and transportation.