RC117 MarApr 2025 - Magazine - Page 18
CLIMATE ADAPTATION
Turning challenges into opportunities
Canada’s escalating climate challenges demand action
from every order of government. Local governments,
already on the frontlines of climate adaptation,
shoulder an immense responsibility—not only as the
largest owners of core public infrastructure in Canada,
collectively managing an infrastructure portfolio valued
in the trillions of dollars, but also as key players in
addressing Canada’s housing a昀昀ordability crisis. To
achieve the ambitious housing targets identi昀椀ed by
the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation will
require the investment of hundreds of billions more in
supportive infrastructure in coming years.
Despite the challenges, there are also opportunities.
Through their day-to-day operations, local governments
wield enormous 昀椀nancial heft and can in昀氀uence decisions
that shape the long-term resilience of their communities.
Even incremental changes to the way local governments
behave can snowball into enormous results. By leveraging
funding and supports, municipalities of all sizes can
transform their infrastructure and planning processes
to meet both climate and housing demands. Initiatives
like LLCA provide a pathway for municipalities to align
their operations with resilience goals, insuring progress
towards a more sustainable future.
Transformative adaptation means embedding a
climate-resilient community mission into long-term
planning and operations—acting on what is to come,
rather than playing catch-up. For instance, soon-to-bereleased research by the Canadian Climate Institute 昀椀nds
that the small portion of new community developments
most at risk of 昀氀ooding accounts for nearly all the growth
in 昀椀nancial risks. Preventing damages by avoiding
development in the most hazard-exposed areas not only
protects key community investments but also works to
ensure progress made towards closing Canada’s housing
gap is not undone by each 昀椀re or 昀氀ood.
Preparing communities for climate risks
The insured losses of 2024 demonstrate that, while
concerted action is needed to build resilience over time,
more severe events are already impacting Canada,
demanding a rapid response.
Communities across Canada are translating climate
risk assessments into tangible actions and implementing
projects that reduce their exposures to hazards like
昀氀ooding, drought and wild昀椀res. The widespread interest
in addressing these challenges highlights the readiness of
municipalities to act when barriers, such as funding, are
removed.
BY ALWAYS
AIMING HIGHER,
we continue to cultivate
excellence and success.
At CIMA+, our approach
is sustainable and engages several
disciplines, reducing environmental
footprints while ensuring 昀椀nancial
feasibility. By rethinking the way
we do things and constantly striving
to improve, we are transforming
Canada’s energy landscape
for a more sustainable future.
Learn more
Photo: Jean-Michel Naud
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RENEW CANADA – MARCH/APRIL 2025
RENEWCANADA.NET
