TORONTO — Corporate Canada is increasingly dedicating time and money to preparing for an influenza pandemic, as awareness of the possibility rises.

"About six months ago, there was really no concern, and I think it makes sense to be concerned," says Sherry Cooper, chief economist of BMO Nesbitt Burns and the author of some awareness-raising reports on the topic.

Robert Wilkerson, the global head of Kroll Inc.'s corporate preparedness practice, says "the financial community in Canada is almost in the lead on this, because Canada's experience with SARS was a real eye opener."

He was in Toronto late last year to give a planning workshop based on a scenario in which avian influenza, or bird flu, swept through the human population, causing a pandemic.

But awareness has spread beyond Bay Street, and numerous industries are now taking steps to prepare for such a crisis, which health experts estimate sill hit from one-quarter to one-half of the population in a series of waves.

Air Canada (TSX:ACE.B), Dofasco Inc. (TSX:DFS), CIBC (TSX:CM), Inco Ltd. (TSX:N) and Manulife Financial (TSX:MFC) are among the companies that say they are working on a contingency plan in case of a pandemic.

The level of preparation ranges among firms. Hamilton-based Dofasco held its first high-level meeting on the issue earlier this month to look at other firms' plans.

"At this point, we're really at the stage of recognizing that responsible organizations are giving this issue some attention, acknowledging we should do so as well, and discussing how we will approach the planning process," says the steelmaker's spokesman, Gord Forstner.

Toronto-based nickel miner Inco Ltd. is "well advanced on avian flu pandemic preparedness planning at our global operations," says spokesman Steve Mitchell. "Because of its location, our Indonesian operations have been at the forefront of our site specific planning activities."

At the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, chief executive Nick Jennery says "this is something that we started working on, pandemic specific, probably about seven, eight months ago."

The council's members represent 80 per cent of all grocery distribution sales in Canada, and more than 500,000 employees.

"We are dealing with this as an industry," Jennery said. "What's driving our whole plan is to make sure that the public has access to product should a worst case scenario unfold.

"So, we are looking at things like surge buying, how to keep distribution centres open, whether we consolidate around stores. The details, we are obviously working out."

Jennery notes that, when it comes to contingency planning, "we're pretty good at this." The industry has dealt with trucker blockades, port strikes, and hurricanes. "What makes this a bit different is just the sheer scale of it," he says.

In a recent article written for the Harvard Business Review, Cooper said that most companies have not adequately planned for a pandemic, and notes that it's "very different" than traditional crisis management.

"An influenza pandemic will likely be prolonged -- measured in months, not weeks or days -- and it will be pervasive," she wrote.

"For most businesses, it would be prudent to take some actions immediately. Even though the probability of an influenza pandemic might be low, the consequences are enormous."

Ron Lennox, vice-president of trade and security at the Canadian Trucking Alliance, said the alliance is already in discussions with other infrastructure networks and Transport Canada.

One key challenge the industry would face in the event of a pandemic is how to deal with fewer employees when truck drivers are already in short supply, Lennox said.

"This may mean dedicating trucks to haul 'essential' products such as food, medicine and fuel. It may also require some temporary adjustments to existing regulations to ensure demands can be met with available resources," he said.

The alliance is also trying to ensure it will have adequate fuel and spare parts ready.

Mark Hallman, spokesman for Canadian National Railway Co., said the company (TSX:CNR) has attended meetings with other major employers to benchmark its pandemic preparedness.

In the U.S., CN has participated in a Homeland Security exercise, along with other U.S. railroads, to assess the impact on an influenza pandemic on the transportation of goods.

In Canada, CN has given public health authorities in Ontario information on the number of essential service employees it has.

Canada's pandemic influenza plan says about one million people will be deemed essential service providers for the purposes of doling out vaccines. Those people include utility workers, funeral service personnel, and people employed in public transportation and the transport of essential goods like food.

If there were an outbreak, CN says it would take direction from public health agencies about travel restrictions and would cooperate in the distribution of vaccine and antiviral drugs, but would not store or distribute medication unless recommended.

"In the interest of preventing infectious diseases and of limiting the spread of infectious diseases, CN would provide employees with information on good hygiene to minimize the risk," Hallman added.

That is likely music to Bill Gastle's ears. The chief executive of Toronto-based Microbix Biosystems Inc. (TSX:MBX) has made his company's pandemic response plan publicly available on the Internet, and he says a plan has to do more than enable employees to work from home -- it has to teach them about hygiene to minimize exposure.

Cooper says multinational companies, which will be dealing with governments around the world, will be at the forefront of disseminating information. All firms should consider stockpiling key hygiene-related supplies, including face masks, disinfectants and hand-washing materials, she says.

She also recommends buying extra replacement parts for vital equipment, as travel and transport will be disrupted in the event of a pandemic.

"It's very important that businesses make it very clear to their employees that there will be a very liberal sick leave and family policy," she adds. "What you don't want is sick people coming to work, and the biggest reason that people would come to work is the fear of lost salary."

Cooper suggests planning for a 30 per cent reduction in workforce, which might include measures like cross-training or establishing a pool of available contract workers and retirees.