Preventing disaster before it strikes: Developing a Canadian standard for new flood-resilient residential communities

This report profiles 20 best practices to be incorporated into the design and construction of new flood-resilient residential communities in Canada. Ensuring that new communities are built under the direction of these practices is necessary to combat ever-worsening extreme weather that, if not addressed, will result in costly and unremitting flood damage. 

The scope of the draft best practices in this report is specific to greenfield community development only (i.e., not infill or redevelopment) and the following building types:

• detached homes
• semi-detached homes
• row houses (including stacked and back-to-back townhomes)

The types of flood hazards considered by the draft best practices include:

• riverine flooding
• overland flooding
• storm and sanitary sewer surcharge
• drainage system failures
• groundwater seepage