A 72 hour emergency kit for Ontario: what to pack for ice storms, summer heat, tornadoes and long outages, with metric and imperial amounts.
- Plan to be self-reliant for at least 72 hours with water, food, light and warmth.
- Ontario's ice storms, heat waves and tornadoes each add specific items.
- Never run fuel burning equipment indoors.
Ontario households face a mix of hazards: freezing rain and ice storms, heavy snow, summer heat waves, thunderstorms and tornadoes, plus the occasional flood. Any of them can knock out power for days. A 72 hour emergency kit for Ontario should cover the first three days when roads may be blocked and help may be stretched thin.
The Government of Canada recommends being ready to look after yourself for at least 72 hours. Below is a practical way to do that for an Ontario home.
Water and food first
Plan on 2 litres (about half a gallon) of drinking water per person per day as a minimum, and more for hot weather, children, pregnancy or illness. Add extra for hygiene and cooking if you can. For three days, a family of four needs at least 24 litres (about 6 gallons) for drinking alone. Our water storage guide breaks this down.
For food, choose items that need no cooking, little water and no fridge: canned meals, crackers, nut butters, dried fruit, granola bars, shelf-stable milk and ready-to-eat cereals. Add a manual can opener. Pick foods your household will actually eat. See best no-cook foods for ideas.
Light, power and information
- A flashlight or headlamp per person, plus spare batteries.
- A battery or hand-crank radio so you can follow alerts when cell service is overloaded.
- A charged power bank and charging cables for phones.
- A whistle to signal for help.
Avoid candles as your main light. If you use them at all, keep them in sturdy holders, away from anything that burns, and never leave them unattended.
Winter in Ontario: warmth is the priority
Ice storms can leave neighbourhoods without power in the cold for days. Add warm clothing, wool blankets or sleeping bags rated for cold, hats, mittens and spare socks for each person. Plan to live in one room and close doors to keep heat in. Details are in the ice storm power outage guide and how to stay warm without power.
Keep a shovel, ice melt or sand and a windshield scraper on hand, and keep your vehicle kit stocked too.
Summer in Ontario: heat and storms
Humid heat waves can make a home dangerous when the air conditioning stops. Know a cooler place to go, such as a library, mall or cooling centre, and keep extra water, light clothing and a battery fan. Read the heat wave outage guide. For tornado and thunderstorm warnings, pick a safe spot in the lowest floor away from windows, and keep shoes and a flashlight there.
Health, documents and extras
- A first aid kit and at least a week of regular medications, with a list of doses and your pharmacist's number.
- Baby supplies, pet food and water, or other special needs for your household.
- Copies of ID, insurance papers, health card numbers and key phone numbers.
- Cash in small bills.
- Hand sanitizer, wipes, garbage bags and toilet supplies. See emergency toilet and sanitation.
Store it and refresh it
Keep the kit in an easy to reach spot, in a bin or bags that you can carry. Check it twice a year (many people choose the clock change weekends), replace water and food as needed and test your batteries. Regional tips are collected in power outage prep for Ontario. For province-specific alerts and local emergency plans, check your municipality and provincial emergency management pages.
Finally, think about your own street. Rural Ontario homes on well water need a plan for water when the pump stops, and apartment dwellers should plan for stairs when elevators stop. Know your neighbours, especially older adults and anyone with medical needs, and agree how you will check on each other. If you rent, ask your landlord about emergency procedures. A few quiet conversations now make a long outage far easier to handle later.
Quick answers
How much water does an Ontario family need for 72 hours?
A minimum of 2 litres (half a gallon) per person per day for drinking, so 6 litres per person for three days, plus more for hygiene and hot weather.
Should the kit change by season?
Yes. Swap in heavy blankets and ice melt for winter, and extra water, fans and light clothing for summer.