Canada

Being prepared in Canada

What official guidance in Canada recommends, how much water to store, emergency numbers, and calculators, checklists and food guides.

By the SupKit teamUpdated 28 October 20262 min read

The short answer

Canada asks households to be able to look after themselves for at least 72 hours.¹ Canada recommends about four litres of water per person per day, including small easy-to-carry bottles.¹

What official guidance recommends

Canada asks households to be able to look after themselves for at least 72 hours.¹
Canada recommends about four litres of water per person per day, including small easy-to-carry bottles.¹

What to have in your kit

Canada's kit list includes a corded phone, chargers, a flashlight, a radio and spare batteries.¹

How much water to store

Drinking water at the official figure:

People	3 days	7 days	14 days
1	12 L	28 L	56 L
2	24 L	56 L	112 L
4	48 L	112 L	224 L
6	72 L	168 L	336 L

Emergency numbers

Number	What it's for
9-1-1	Emergency: police, fire, ambulance²

Staying informed

Alert Ready is Canada's emergency alerting system, reaching TV, radio and compatible LTE wireless devices.³

Calculators

Work out how much water and food your household needs, and how long what you have would last.

See all 5 →

CalculatorsCalculator 3 Lper person per day (SupKit) Emergency water calculator Work out how much drinking water your household needs for 3, 7 or 14 days, including pets. CalculatorsCalculator 2,250calories a day for an adult Emergency food calculator Work out how much emergency food your household needs in calories, with a sample shopping list from everyday long-life food. CalculatorsCalculator 1.2 La day for a medium dog Pet water calculator How much water to store for your dogs, cats, rabbits and birds in an emergency, from SupKit's estimates by species and size.

Food storage

How much long-life food to store, what's on the label and when to start using it.

See all 11 →

Food storage2 min read 315calories per can (SupKit estimate) Baked beans in your emergency supplies How many cans of baked beans your household needs, what the date on the label means, and allergens to check. Food storage2 min read 280calories per can (SupKit estimate) Canned chickpeas in your emergency supplies How many cans of canned chickpeas your household needs, what the date on the label means, and allergens to check. Food storage2 min read 400calories per can (SupKit estimate) Canned chili in your emergency supplies How many cans of canned chili your household needs, what the date on the label means, and allergens to check.

Emergencies

What matters most in a power cut, a flood, a heatwave and more.

See all 4 →

Emergencies3 min read 7things that matter most Preparing for a winter storm or cold snap What matters most in a winter storm or cold snap, what official guidance in Canada says, and long-life food that suits it. Emergencies3 min read 6things that matter most Preparing for a heatwave What matters most in a heatwave, what official guidance in Canada says, and long-life food that suits it. Emergencies3 min read 8things that matter most Preparing for a flood What matters most in a flood, what official guidance in Canada says, and long-life food that suits it.

Checklists

Emergency kit checklists shaped around the people and pets you live with.

See all 7 →

Checklists2 min read 10 Lof water for 3 days Emergency kit checklist for cat owners 25 things to have ready for a cat owner, with how much water and food to store for 1 adult and a cat. Checklists3 min read 18 Lof water for 3 days Household emergency kit checklist 21 things to have ready for a household, with how much water and food to store for 2 adults. Checklists3 min read 22 Lof water for 3 days Emergency kit checklist for dog owners 25 things to have ready for a household with a dog, with how much water and food to store for 2 adults and a dog.

Questions

How much water should I store in Canada?

Canada recommends about four litres of water per person per day, including small easy-to-carry bottles.

How many days of supplies should I have in Canada?

Canada asks households to be able to look after themselves for at least 72 hours.

What is the emergency number in Canada?

9-1-1: Emergency: police, fire, ambulance.

Sources

Emergency kits - Canada.ca, Government of Canada (Public Safety Canada). Checked 27 October 2026.
Prepare children for emergencies: Tips for parents and caregivers, Government of Canada. Checked 27 October 2026.
Alert Ready, Pelmorex Corp. with federal, provincial and territorial emergency management partners. Checked 28 October 2026.

We summarise official guidance in our own words. Always follow advice from your local authorities.