The Emergencies Act, which replaced the War Measures Act in the 1980s, defines a national emergency as a temporary „urgent and critical situation“ that „seriously endangers the lives, health or safety of Canadians and is of such proportions or nature as to exceed the capacity or authority of a province to deal with it.“

The act gives special powers to respond to emergency scenarios affecting public welfare (natural disasters, disease outbreaks), public order (civil unrest), international emergencies or war emergencies.