Vancouver plans to face climate change head-on

The city of Vancouver has designed a climate change “adaptation” strategy to increase capacities in fighting street flooding, sewer backups,  and heat-related illnesses by 2050. The strategy aims to negotiate the expected climate change impacts such as increased precipitation and windstorms, higher summer temperatures, drought and sea level rise which can potentially affect the economic situation and livabiltiy of the city, reports Alertnet.

"You either pay money to deal with extreme weather events now or pay money to deal with the after-effects of not having a plan in place,” said Coun. Andrea Reimer.

Some of the measures to be introduced:

• Complete a coastal flood risk assessment;

• Amend flood-proofing policies;

• Develop and implement a citywide integrated stormwater management plan;

• Continue with sewer separation;

• Develop a backup power policy;

• Continue to implement water conservation actions;

• Support and expand extreme heat planning;

• Include climate change adaptation measures in the next Vancouver Building Bylaw update; and

• Develop and implement a comprehensive Urban Forest Management Plan.