About Chris Gilmour

What if tomorrow does not look anything like today? Are you prepared?

And what lessons from nature can help guide us in the present?

In my early twenties, I saw many things that concerned me about the direction the world was heading. I realized how far many people and modern cultures (myself included) had drifted from understanding how natural eco-systems function. Yet, nature is the foundation of all life. It has offered people peace of mind, perspective, inspiration and solutions to complex problems throughout the ages.

Considering how to reconnect (myself and others), be more aware and live holistically sent me on a lifelong journey of learning.

It started with going to college to study ecology and forestry. I then travelled to North and Central America to learn about its eco-systems, cultures and ways of living sustainably.

I apprenticed in permaculture farms and in sustainable forestry. I started studying survival skills, refining my naturalist knowledge and guiding expeditions into the wilderness by canoe and dogsled. This led to helping grow a not-for-profit to help kids and adults learn about nature while growing as resilient and adaptable people.

Two components of running camps and wilderness travel are risk management and human relations (culture). This triggered another learning journey into healthy community building and going back to school to study modern-day emergency and disaster management.

Today, I live on a homestead with my wife Laura, where we grow food and herbs, tend and harvest from the forest sustainably, and have chosen the entrepreneur’s work path. I have:

  • Helped build several organizations and businesses from the ground up, 

  • Taught for colleges, public and private schools and designed curriculum at all levels,

  • Consulted in emergency preparedness with large and small businesses, governments, farms and camps

  • Provided training and mentoring in ecology, nature awareness, leadership skills and self-reliance. 

I strive to find a holistic approach to face our uncertain future. My offerings bridge a deep understanding of ecology, community and

culture with emergency preparedness, holistic business practices and healthy human development and empowerment.

Emergency & Disaster Management Clients & Experience Consultant, exercise controller and trainer through Emergency Management & Training INC.

Instructing in emergency management training and helping run mock emergency and disaster exercises. Clients and work include:

  • Disaster Preparedness Training for Oakville Hydro

  • Exercise Controller with Sick Kids Hospital disaster exercise

  • Exercise Controller with Municipality of Sudbury & Vale Mines disaster exercise.

  • Exercise Controller with Ontario Ministry of Environment & Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry in Asian Carp disaster exercise.

  • Exercise Controller at International Conference in Disaster Management.

Private Consulting through Chris Outdoors

  • OUR Ecovillage, Farm & education centre audit for disaster preparedness. Comprehensive multi-year team training in emergency response, emergency exercise design and implementation, emergency plan writing.

  • Emergency Planning and Staff Training Clients

  • Grand Council Treaty 3 First Nations

  • Kwayaciiwin Education Resource Centre – Emergency response training for First nations Schools

  • There Pine Project

  • Guelph Outdoors School

  • Clearwater Farms

  • Earth Activist Training

Academic Education

  • Successfully completed courses include:

  • Basic Emergency Management - Emergency Management Ontario certificate

  • IMS 100 and 200 - Emergency Management Ontario certificates

  • Emergency Exercise Design I and II

  • Crisis Communication & Information Management

  • Emergency Planning

  • Prevention Mitigation Preparedness Response and Recovery

  • Foundations of Emergency Management

  • Disaster Resilient Communities

  • Forestry Technician Diploma - Sir Sanford Fleming College, Lindsay, ON, 2006

  • Ontario Managed Forest Tax Incentive Plan Approver & Author

Skills & Certificates

  • Wilderness First Responder

  • Advanced Ice Rescue Certification

  • NLS Lifeguard Certificate

  • Level 3 Wildlife Track & Sign Identification Certificate through Cyber Tracker International

  • Advanced Herbal Medicine Training under Sam Coffman

  • 16+ Years experience in permaculture and forest gardening design and implementation

  • Ontario Hunting and Trappers Licenses

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