Climate change and the preparedness of Canadian Provinces and Yukon to limit potential flood damage

This report assesses the preparedness of Canada’s provinces and Yukon to limit climate change related flood damage, relative to current (2016) and future (2030) major precipitation events. The report provides direction to the provinces and territory to build upon efforts to limit flood risk. Climate change challenges specific to the Northwest Territories and Nunavut will be assessed in a separate report.

Survey participants across Canada identified several non-negotiable actions that provinces and territories should take immediately to limit future flood risk:

• Provinces and territories should create the position of Chief Adaptation Officer (CAO).
• CAOs would be charged with ensuring flood risk preparedness is deployed, independent of whether the category is a direct-line responsibility of the province or territory.
• Provinces and territories should issue, on a multi-year cycle, audited public reports that document the state of flood preparedness.
• Provinces and territories should mandate that new development in flood-prone areas be restricted, or at the very minimum, development in such areas be flood-resilient.
•  Where practically and actuarially cost-effective, infrastructure should be rebuilt to meet new and future-projected climate realities.