COQUITLAM, BC, Nov. 14, 2024 /CNW/ – Working together to reduce risks from the changing climate will help keep Canadians safer and healthier. Acting now will help improve long-term resilience and reduce costs associated with the increasing frequency of extreme weather events in Canada, including higher grocery prices, insurance premiums and local taxes to cover the costs of disaster recovery and damage.
Across the country, the impacts of climate change are becoming more severe and more frequent with extreme events like floods, wildfires and heatwaves on the rise. Gradual changes, like thawing permafrost in the north and rising sea levels in coastal regions, are also affecting the safety of our communities and quality of life. To protect our communities from the worst economic and environmental impacts of climate change, we must continue to prepare for the changes that are coming by investing in community resilience. This will not only support the safety of Canadians but also reinforce the ability of communities to recover from extreme weather events.
Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson announced over $7 million in funding for 12 projects in British Columbia or with a national reach under Natural Resources Canada’s Climate Change Adaptation Program (CCAP) and the Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities (CRCC) Program. These projects will aim to help regions and sectors in B.C. and across Canada adapt to a changing climate by developing, improving and delivering strategies, tools and resources that address climate change risks and adaptation gaps, and to support the implementation of climate change adaptation and resilience actions.
The funding announced today comes from a total investment of $39.5 million for 53 projects through the CCAP and the the CRCC Program to reduce climate change risks and build more resilient communities across the country in support of the National Adaptation Strategy (NAS). Details on additional projects supported by this investment will be announced in the near future.
The steps we take now will protect our communities, our livelihoods, our environment and our economy. We are actively investing in climate change adaptation to proactively support long-term, community-led resilience and adaptation projects. It is essential, now more than ever, that we come together to help communities stay strong in the face of the current and future impacts of climate change.
Quotes
“The impacts associated with climate change, including atmospheric rivers here in British Columbia, are being felt right now. That is why this federal government is acting now to help our communities and our economy prepare and protect themselves from the threat of climate change. Today’s announcement of 12 projects based in British Columbia under two funding programs supports the vital long-term, community-based work to keep people safe now and into the future.”
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
“Municipalities are on the front lines of climate change, and they know best what local challenges — and solutions — are affecting local neighbourhoods, transportation and businesses. The 12 projects under the CCAP and CRCC program will help build stronger, more livable communities, providing safety and security in the face of a changing climate. With smart investments, forward planning and active collaboration, we can support communities that are already feeling the impacts of climate change and help make them more sustainable and prosperous for generations to come.”
The Honourable Steven Guilbeault
Minister of Environment and Climate Change
“Climate change is impacting communities in British Columbia and across Canada. Now is the time to work together and build climate change responses that address current and future problems. By taking the necessary steps today to adapt and build resiliency, we can make more-informed decisions to prepare for and to respond and adapt to climate change impacts.”
Ron McKinnon
Member of Parliament for Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam
“Coastal flooding and rising seas are not exclusively localized issues. Coordinating between First Nations, municipalities and other authorities in the region can increase the effectiveness of coastal resilience actions and help to pool resources. Thanks to the support from the CRCC Program, our B.C. Southern Coastal Regional Climate Collaborative project will help coordinate approaches to address rising sea levels and coastal flooding and implement key regional actions to build the foundation for long-term coastal resilience outcomes across the Pacific North Shore and Sunshine Coast region.”
Ewa Jackson
Managing Director, ICLEI Canada
“Clean energy systems are the future — and this initiative is helping First Nations communities and local governments to push forward on micro-hydro, solar, wind and other renewables that strengthen B.C.’s power grid. Planning infrastructure to withstand severe weather and other impacts of climate change is now a key challenge in building a clean energy future, and we’re happy to help bring together local leaders and experts to meet that challenge.”
David Marshall
Chief Executive Officer, Fraser Basin Council
“Across British Columbia, small, rural and remote communities work every day with extremely limited resources to address the current and anticipated impacts of climate change, often off the side of their desk amidst many competing priorities. As a result of this funding, the CoNext Climate Preparedness Hub will provide direct support to local governments, First Nation governments and their partners to build understanding of the challenges and options for addressing climate impacts and translate this knowledge into action within their organizations and communities.”
Erica Crawford
CoNext Project Lead and Principal, HeronBridge Consulting
“Climate adaptation is a new but urgent challenge, and leading practices are just beginning to emerge. Our CRCC project funded direct conversations with Canadian practitioners to identify the challenges and opportunities they face today, and this learning will inform similar outreach in Oceania, Europe, the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia. We look forward to bringing this snapshot of global adaptation practice today back to Canada to help drive innovation and solutions to this shared threat.”
Dr. Glynis Lough
Global Director of PEERS and Affiliate at the Aspen Global Change Institute
“The far-reaching impacts of recent wildfires — massive emissions and disrupted communities — demand urgent action. This contribution from Natural Resources Canada will foster collaboration across sectors, First Nations and impacted communities in ways that accelerate wildfire adaptation, create jobs, enhance ecosystem resilience and increase public safety.”
Robin Prest
Program Director, Simon Fraser University’s Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue
“Engineers and Geoscientists BC welcomes this investment that is intended to help protect Canadians from the risks of climate change. In collaboration with the Climate Risk Institute, we are proud to lead the development of a national climate resiliency training program for building sector professionals. Supported by Natural Resources Canada through the CCAP, the training program aims to empower engineers, and other professionals, with the skills and knowledge needed to design and retrofit buildings to help communities become more resilient to the risks associated with a changing climate.”
Heidi Yang, P.Eng.
Chief Executive Officer, Engineers and Geoscientists BC
“The Regional District of Nanaimo is grateful for this generous grant, which we will use to develop an inclusive and collaborative coastal climate adaptation strategy in our region. This strategy will build on the critical work we are already undertaking to prepare for, and respond to, impacts we are seeing on our coast.”
Vanessa Craig
Chair, Regional District of Nanaimo
“In recent years, climate-related impacts have significantly disrupted supply chains. With this funding to develop a climate adaptation plan for the Port of Vancouver, we will work collaboratively with First Nations and stakeholders to identify key climate risks and priority actions needed to enhance port infrastructure and supply chain resiliency. This will help strengthen our position to facilitate Canada’s trade reliably, now and into the future.”
Jennifer Natland
Vice President, Properties and Environment, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
“Nature-based solutions, like restoring wetlands and adopting green infrastructure approaches, offer powerful ways for Canadian communities to adapt to climate change while unlocking significant social, economic and environmental co-benefits. Yet a lack of understanding of the monetary benefits of these multi-solving solutions means they remain underutilized by local governments. With the support of Natural Resources Canada and our partners, ESSA and All One Sky Foundation are developing a toolkit with clear economic data and guidance to help communities confidently invest in these sustainable, cost-effective strategies to multiple local problems.”
Jimena Eyzaguirre
Climate Change Adaptation Practice Lead, ESSA Technologies Ltd.
Quick Facts
The National Adaptation Strategy (NAS) provides a whole-of-society plan focused on protecting Canadian lives and building more resilient and prosperous communities. Canada released its first NAS on June 27, 2023. Achieving the objectives of the NAS requires whole-of-society action. The Government of Canada is working with provinces, territories, Indigenous partners and the private sector to develop innovative technical, financial and operational solutions that will support adaptation action by communities across the economy.Every $1 spent on climate adaptation measures saves up to $15 in terms of the long-term costs involved in mitigating climate change and extreme weather events.Since 2015, the Government of Canada has invested more than $6.5 billion in adaptation efforts, including $2.1 billion since fall 2022 to implement the NAS and other adaptation-related activities.The CCAP will help Canada’s regions and sectors to adapt to a changing climate. More specifically, the CCAP aims to:support decision-makers in identifying and implementing adaptation actions;enhance adaptation knowledge and skills among Canada’s workforce; andincrease access to climate change adaptation tools and resources.The CRCC Program supports regional-scale pilot projects on Canada’s three marine coasts —Atlantic, Pacific and North — and in the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence region. The program aims to enhance the climate resilience of coastal communities and businesses and to accelerate adaptation to reduce climate change risks and coordinate innovative actions.
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Backgrounder: Canada Invests in Climate Change to Keep Communities Safe in British Columbia and Across Canada https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2024/11/canada-invests-in-climate-change-adaptation-to-keep-communities-safe-in-british-columbia-and-across-canada.html
Associated Links
Climate Change Adaptation ProgramNatural Resources Canada Announces up to $15 Million to Help Communities and Businesses Adapt to a Changing ClimateClimate-Resilient Coastal Communities ProgramNational Adaptation StrategyGovernment of Canada Adaptation Action Plan
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