The Government of Canada encourages citizens to keep at least 3 days of emergency supplies The Government of Canada recommends that Canadians keep enough food, drinking water, medicine and other essential supplies to stay self-sufficient for at least 72 hours in the event of an emergency. The recommendation is intended to help households prepare for situations such as power outages, natural disasters and interruptions to essential services. This is a longstanding federal preparedness advisory, not a newly issued emergency warning.