Language selection

Government of Canada / Gouvernement du Canada

Search

National Adaptation Strategy & Hydrologic prediction and innovation: Applicant Guide 2023

Applicant Guide 2023 [PDF - 340 KB]

Overview of National Adaptation Strategy & Hydrologic Prediction and Innovation Funding Opportunity

This funding opportunity aims to provide funding for a number of initiatives related to the National Adaptation Strategy, hydrologic prediction and innovation in hydrometry. Applicants are welcome to apply to the following streams:

Information about the individual streams is provided below. Additional information pertinent to all applicants then follows. Please refer to Appendix A for additional information regarding the online application process.

Stream 1 - Priority Climate Data, Services, and Assessments

The Priority Climate Data, Services, and Assessments program aims to provide access to new climate information, data products, and services that enable Canadians to readily account for future climate conditions in their decision strategies, actions, and planning and infrastructure investments. One of the main components of this program is to further develop Canada’s climate modelling capabilities for detailed projections of the changes of extreme events and climate change science assessments. Additionally, it aims to invest in and improve Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) climate modelling system.

Stream 2 – Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP)

The first pan-Canadian flood hazard mapping initiative was the Flood Damage Reduction Program (FDRP), led by Environment Canada, from 1975 to 1998. From 2015-2022, the National Disaster Mitigation Program (NDMP), led by Public Safety, included a stream for floodplain mapping. Since 2021, the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP), led by Natural Resources Canada, aims to complete flood hazard maps of high-risk areas in Canada and make this flood hazard information accessible.

ECCC’s portion of FHIMP aims to support research in hydrological, hydraulic, and climate considerations for floodplain mapping, to strengthen floodplain modelling and mapping, and to advance the science on integrating the effects of climate change and uncertainty in future flood maps. 

Stream 3 – Hydrologic Prediction

In 2023, the Government of Canada renewed recent investments in hydrologic prediction and flow forecasting at ECCC, with additional funding provided to contribute to external projects that align with the hydrologic prediction needs of its end-users.

This builds on the National Hydrological Service (NHS) Transformation Initiative, which ran from 2018-2023 and included the development of systems to predict water quantity in five of Canada’s major water basins. This program built upon existing weather modelling and predictive capabilities at ECCC and engaged with end-users, including federal, provincial and territorial partners, to ensure that its hydrologic prediction products and services would meet Canadians’ needs while respecting flood messaging authorities in Canada.

In partnership with provincial and territorial governments, the hydrologic prediction stream aims to strengthen the useability, reliability, and delivery of hydrologic prediction and flow forecasting activities to support the requirements of end-users. 

Stream 4 – Innovation in Hydrometry

NHS has been working on innovation projects since 2018 with the help of funding provided by the Treasury Board of Canada within the scope of the NHS Transformation Initiative. The broad objective of the innovation component is to enhance monitoring and hydrological services by evaluating and testing innovations in measurement technology and data quality management.

Innovation in Hydrometry aims to support research in hydrometric monitoring and hydrological services, and to test and develop new technologies and methods to advance hydrometric data acquisition, computation, and dissemination systems.

Objective

Stream 1 - Priority Climate Data, Services, and Assessments

The goal of the Priority Climate Data, Services, and Assessments Program is to provide access to new climate information, data products, and services that enable Canadians to readily account for future climate conditions in their decision strategies, actions, and planning and infrastructure investments. The implementation of this program marks the first major funding increment for foundational climate research since 2007. It aims to invest in ECCC’s climate modelling system to better project the frequency and intensity of climate extremes for more environmental variables and finer spatial resolution. The climate data products and services offered by the Canadian Centre for Climate Services (CCCS) make it easier for organizations to assess the level of exposure of vulnerable populations to climate change and, thus, inform policies, programs and actions to reduce this vulnerability.

Stream 2 – Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP)

In partnership with provincial and territorial governments, FHIMP aims to complete flood hazard maps of high-risk areas in Canada and make this flood hazard information accessible. These maps will inform decision-making in support of land use planning, flood mitigation, adaptation to a changing climate, resilience building, and protection of lives and properties.

The research goals of FHIMP are to support investigations into hydrological, hydraulic, and climate considerations for floodplain mapping, to strengthen floodplain modelling and mapping, and to advance the science on integrating the effects of climate change and uncertainty in future flood maps.

FHIMP will fund projects that both advance the science of current and next generation (dynamic) flood mapping.

Stream 3 – Hydrologic Predictions

This stream aims to respond to increasing demands for timely and reliable hydrologic prediction information to support hydrologic prediction practitioners, including those of the provinces and territories who are mandated to deliver hydrologic prediction services in the interest of Canadians. The intended purpose of this funding is to leverage research, conduct innovation and development initiatives, and provide services to support these end-users, as well as explore the utility of numerical analysis to support hydrometric monitoring activities. This stream aims to strengthen the useability of hydrologic prediction and flow forecasting activities by supporting:  

Stream 4 – Innovation in Hydrometry

NHS is continuing to test and develop new technologies and methods for the acquisition, computation and dissemination of hydrometric data. The intended purpose of this funding is to leverage research and innovations that would improve and advance the timeliness and quality of its data and services to protect the safety and economy of Canadians. Innovation in Hydrometry aims to enhance hydrometric monitoring and hydrological services by supporting: 

Eligible Applicants

Applicants must fall under one of the following categories:
Applicant
 Eligibility
Environmental Non-Governmental Organization (ENGO) – Canadian All streams
Not-for-Profit Organization – Canadian (excluding ENGO, Indigenous) All streams
Indigenous Organization, Group, Association, Band, Council, Individual All streams
Individual – Canadian All streams
For Profit Organization – Canadian All streams
Other Level of Government (Provincial/Territorial/Municipal) All streams
Public Agencies (3rd Party Delivery) All streams
University and Other Educational Institution – Canadian All streams
Crown Corporation (Non-Federal) All streams
Local organizations such as community associations and groups, seniors’ and youth groups, and service clubs – Canadian All streams
Environmental Non-Governmental Organization (ENGO) - International Only streams 3 and 4
Not-for-Profit Organization – International Only streams 3 and 4
Individual – Foreign Only streams 3 and 4
For Profit Organization – International Only streams 3 and 4
Intergovernmental organization of which two or more states are members – Foreign Only streams 3 and 4
Foreign state other than Canada or a department or agency of such a state – Foreign
 Only streams 3 and 4

Types of Projects Eligible for Funding

The following are the various types of projects that will be funded for each stream. Please note, any approved project will be required to report on performance indicators as part of final reporting.

Stream 1 - Priority Climate Data, Services, and Assessments

Projects that contribute directly to providing access to new climate information, data products, and services that enable Canadians to readily account for future climate conditions in their decision strategies, actions, and planning and infrastructure investments. Specifically, projects within the following categories:

  1. Freshwater availability:
    1. Projections of water cycle variables: Analysis of current climate projections and/or development of new projections (to 2100) of key water cycle variables across all of Canada or for select Canadian watersheds, using Earth system models or regional climate models across a range of climate change scenarios. Relevant topic areas are: river runoff projections, freshwater supply and demand projections, and the use of high-resolution simulations to provide projections across key Canadian watersheds that would benefit from enhanced spatial resolution (e.g., mountainous regions).
  2. Canada-focused projections:
    1. Regional Modelling: Regional downscaling of climate projections and predictions in the atmosphere and ocean to provide higher resolution information about regional climate change for Canada.
    2. Storm Surge Modelling: Development and application of deep-learning-based models to simulate historical and future coastal water levels that integrate storm surge and wave reanalysis and dynamical model projections. Development of statistical methods and guidance to define, characterize and analyze coastal compound events considering the interaction between marine (storm surge, waves), fluvial (streamflow) and atmospheric (precipitation, winds) physical processes affecting key coastal hazards.
  3. Climate modelling:
    1. Parameterizations: Development of parameterizations of physical and biogeochemical processes to be used within Canadian Earth System Models.
    2. Earth System Model Development: Development of physics, dynamics, infrastructure and configurations of with the [Canadian Earth System Model / integrated climate modelling system] to support climate science applications.
    3. Analysis and Application of Canadian Earth System Model or Regional Model (CanESM/CanRCM): Conducting simulations with models, and/or analyzing the output of such models to address specific scientific or policy questions.

Stream 2 – Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP)

Projects must address at least one of the following themes as they contribute to the floodplain mapping process: climate change considerations, understanding of various flood mechanisms, and/or integration of uncertainty.

  1. Climate change considerations for floodplain mapping: Develop or improve engineering tools, methods, or guidance to allow the integration of climate projections into floodplain mapping products. Strengthen floodplain modelling and mapping science and practice through the development of methodologies that integrate historical observations, reanalysis model output, and climate-based scenarios.
  2. Flood mechanisms for floodplain mapping: Strengthen floodplain modelling and mapping science and practice through the development of datasets, information, models and/or tools that support floodplain mapping for various flood mechanisms:
    1. fluvial: inundation adjacent to rivers or lakes caused by extreme rainfall, snowmelt and/or ice jams;
    2. coastal: inundation of shorelines along an ocean or large lake caused by a combination of erosion, wave action, storm surges, tides, and/or tsunamis; and
    3. pluvial: inundation caused by extreme rainfall, not necessarily near water bodies.
  3. Integration of uncertainty within floodplain mapping: Accounting for uncertainty (in both model outputs/analyses and future climate projections) is a key component of this program. Hydrological and meteorological parameters required for floodplain mapping can be highly uncertain, and climate change will increase this uncertainty. Based on the research conducted, develop methodologies for accounting for uncertainty (including the use of pilot sites to demonstrate method and results) and communicating uncertainty to stakeholders.

FHIMP will fund projects that both advance the science of current and next generation (dynamic) flood mapping.

  1. Current generation mapping includes flood mapping methods that produce static flood maps that identify flood hazard areas based on scenarios developed from historical hydrometeorological data (return periods and/or design storms) and/or select future scenarios.
  2. Next generation mapping includes flood mapping methods that produce dynamic flood maps that identify flood hazard areas based on multiple scenarios incorporating information on anticipated climate change and/or other changes impacting the area of interest. These maps may be used for near real-time emergency management or other flood response.

Stream 3 – Hydrologic Prediction

Projects must address at least one of the following priority areas as they contribute to hydrologic prediction and flow forecasting: data requirements, hydrologic/hydraulic modelling, statistical and artificial intelligence approaches, data and information management, communications.

  1. Data requirements: data required for operational hydrologic prediction purposes, including hydrometric observations, in-situ and satellite data, streamlines, river and lakes information, land-use data, historical / climatological data and information, etc.
  2. Hydrologic/hydraulic modelling: contributions to model calibration, validation, operational setup and application, or to improved physical process representation of Canadian hydrology.
  3. Statistical and artificial intelligence approaches: pre- and post-processing of surface or river conditions for flow forecasting at real-time to seasonal timescales, assessment and reduction of uncertainty in deterministic, ensemble or multi-model predictions, and in real-time forecasting applications.
  4. Data and information management: contributions that improve operational workflows, data management systems, data harmonization, and information management.
  5. Communications: guidance on effective operational hydrologic prediction and flow forecast messaging, effective coordination of multi-jurisdictional messaging, approaches for communication with the public, engagement and involvement of stakeholders, as well as Indigenous communities, groups or representatives.

Stream 4 – Innovation in Hydrometry

Projects must address at least one of the following priority areas that have the potential to improve and advance hydrometric monitoring and hydrological services in Canada:

  1. Investigating emerging hydrometric measurement technologies and methods: Includes testing and developing alternative streamflow measurement technologies where current proved methods are not feasible due to environmental conditions, cost, timeliness, and safety, including assessment of non-contact methods such as image velocimetry, surface velocity radars, camera-based systems for obtaining or validating water level, and use of station cameras for monitoring site conditions and aid in data production process.
  2. Improving winter hydrometry: Includes investigating alternative data computation techniques and assessment of additional ice affected (winter) streamflow measurement techniques to supplement current measurement and data production strategies for ice affected streamflow data.
  3. Quantification of uncertainties and assessment of quality of hydrometric observations: Includes investigating the use and reporting of uncertainty with hydrometric data products, and the development of automated tools to evaluate the quality of hydrometric observations.
  4. Optimizing hydrometric operations: Includes improving the timeliness of hydrometric data production through improved workflows and management of data from the field, and improvements to the hydrometric data production systems.
  5. Optimizing hydrometric network design: Includes investigating hydrometric network design principles and the development of tools and methods to contribute to the development of an optimized and representative hydrometric network.
  6. Satellite based hydrometric monitoring: Includes use of remote sensing to support hydrometric data monitoring and dynamic surface water mapping.

Funding Details

The total available funding per fiscal year is listed below. Please note that each stream may fund up to 100% of the project costs; however, project proponents are strongly encouraged to seek other sources of funding and/or in-kind project support.

Stream 1 – Priority Climate Data, Services, and Assessments

Stream 2 – Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP)

Stream 3 – Hydrologic Prediction

Stream 4 – Innovation in Hydrometry

Eligible Costs

All Streams

Only costs directly attributed to carrying out the project will be eligible for funding, including:

Costs, other than those herein allowed, are ineligible unless specifically approved in writing by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change or his/her representatives at the time of project approval. For all costs, only those deemed to be a reasonable share for completing the project shall be considered eligible. Note that the streams do not provide funding for capital or operating costs of municipal infrastructure or land acquisition.

Selection Method

All Streams

Project proposals will undergo a three-stage review process:

  1. Administrative review by ECCC to ensure applications are complete and meet eligibility requirements.
  2. Project evaluation by ECCC against evaluation criteria. ECCC may seek advice on proposal submissions from external advisors with knowledge and expertise relevant to the proposal; however, approval decisions will be made by ECCC.
  3. Evaluation of proposal against total costs and the availability of other contributors (financial or in-kind) by ECCC.

Administrative Review

All Streams

To be considered eligible for funding, project proposals must meet the following requirements:

Project Proposal Evaluation

All Streams

Eligible project proposals will be assessed to the extent to which proposals meet the following evaluation criteria. An effort will also be made to balance project funding geographically and across recipients as well as to prioritize projects that adopt the Open Government Licence – Canada (Open Government Licence - Canada | Open Government, Government of Canada).

  1. General Screening
    • The organization is eligible to apply for funding.
    • The proposed project will contribute to the outlined objectives.
  2. Project and Risk Management
    • The proposed project is technically feasible.
    • The project timeline and work plan are realistic.
    • The project proponent has, or has access to, the necessary technical expertise and staff to effectively implement the project.
    • The project proponent has experience planning and managing projects of this scope.
    • The organization displays management capacity.
    • The proponent has outlined project monitoring activities to assess the project’s performance.
    • The proponent has conducted a reasonable risk analysis and identified mitigation strategies.
    • If applicable, the necessary permits have been identified and/or received.
  3. Value for Money
    • The proposed project represents good value for dollars invested.
  4. Additional Considerations
    • The proponent will use or evaluate ECCC datasets, models, and/or expertise.
    • The proposed project includes cash and/or in-kind contributions from other sources.
    • The proponent has provided letters of support.
    • The proposed project includes partners and/or research consortia.
    • The proposed project identifies a specific end user/practitioner.

Stream 1 – Priority Climate Data, Services, and Assessments

In addition, eligible project proposals will be assessed to the extent to which proposals meet the following evaluation criteria:

Stream 2 – Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP)

In addition, eligible project proposals will be assessed to the extent to which proposals meet the following evaluation criteria:

Stream 3 – Hydrologic Prediction

In addition, eligible project proposals will be assessed to the extent to which proposals meet the following evaluation criteria:

Stream 4 – Innovation in Hydrometry

In addition, eligible project proposals will be assessed to the extent to which proposals meet the following evaluation criteria:

Description of the Online Application Process and Application Sections

All Streams

Environment and Climate Change Canada requires that applications be submitted online via the Grants and Contributions Enterprise Management System (GCEMS). The GCEMS is accessed through the department’s Single Window system. For additional information on accessing the GCEMS through ECCC’s Single Window system, please see Appendix A.

The online Application Form includes nine sections:

In Section 1 – Tombstone Data: Provide basic information about your organization as well as contact information for the individual leading the application.

In Section 2 – Project Summary: Provide basic information about the proposed project, including the name and location of the project, the project start and end date, the project goals/objectives, a brief general description of the proposed project, the experience of project team members, and the financial and management capacity of the organization submitting the project proposal. If your project is approved for funding, the summary description you provide in your application may be made available to the public.

In Section 3 – Program-Specific Section: Provide information about various aspects of the proposed project. For all streams, information on the geographic applicability of results, use of ECCC datasets/models/expertise, project risk, project budget, and organization structure are required. For each individual stream, provide specific information relating to the project’s main objectives. This includes project themes, project outcomes, and performance/project monitoring.

In Section 4 – Project Budget: Provide the total amount of ECCC funding that is being requested for the proposed project, outline the project’s budget and give an estimation of its forecasted expenses organized according to a set of pre-defined cost categories (such as salaries and wages; management and professional services; travel; and, material and supplies costs). The estimated cost of all project expenditures should reflect fair market values at the standard rate for that product or service in your area.

In this section, you are also required to provide details regarding the project's fiscal year breakdown. Determine the number of years of support from ECCC that your project requires and indicate how the total amount of support requested will be allocated on an annual basis.

Disbursement of funds – identify if your project involves the further disbursement of funds.

Finally, in this section you are required to indicate other funding sources for the project if applicable. Provide letters of financial/in-kind support for the project in the Other Supporting Information section.

In Section 5 – Project Work Plan: Provide details on the activities that will be undertaken for the duration of the project.

In Section 6 – Evaluation Plan and Performance Measures: Provide details on how the expected results and successes of the project will be measured. Describe monitoring, or other follow-up activities, designed to assess the project’s performance.

In Section 7 – Other Supporting Information: Provide further information relevant to the project that was not captured elsewhere in the application if needed. This may include scientific publications, permit applications, material estimates, project schedule, and letters of financial/in-kind support for the project.

In Section 8 – Official Languages: Provide information related to the need to accommodate official language minority communities with respect to the proposed project’s activities.

In Section 9 – Certification: Certify that information provided in the Application Form is accurate and that you, as the applicant, have authorization to sign on behalf of the group.

Other Instructions

All Streams

Applicants are encouraged to provide the details necessary to give a full response to each section of the Application Form but should be as concise as possible.

Please ensure that all sections of the Application Form are complete prior to submission. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

Applicants may include additional information or documents with their application. If submitting additional material, it must be clearly marked and referenced accordingly in the relevant section of the application. All such material must be submitted in accordance with the instructions found online in the Other Supporting Information section.

Applicants are encouraged to identify any additional partner funding and/or in-kind project support that has been obtained and/or that is being sought. Please note that while this is not a requirement, applications demonstrating other sources of financial and/or in-kind support will be scored favourably when evaluated on value for money.

Please note that the online application portal will time out after 15 minutes of inactivity. Applicants are encouraged to save their work regularly.

Note: if you are unable to complete and submit your application via the online application portal and wish to discuss options, please contact SetC_SNAPHI-GandC_NASHPI@ec.gc.ca.

Deadline and Submission Instructions

All Streams

Applications are due by 3:00 pm ET on October 31, 2023. Late submissions will not be considered.

Once departmental approvals in principle have been confirmed, all applicants (both successful and unsuccessful) will be notified in writing. If your project is approved in principle, you will be contacted to negotiate a Contribution Agreement, which outlines the terms and conditions of funding. Please note that the letter of notification informing that your project has been approved in principle will also be shared with relevant federal MPs.

Project implementation can begin after formal notification of project approval, pending the execution of project agreements or contracts where applicable.

If a Contribution Agreement is signed, expenditures made by your organization towards the project after the date of official notification and before the Contribution Agreement is signed may be considered for reimbursement.

For clarification on any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact SetC_SNAPHI-GandC_NASHPI@ec.gc.ca.

Appendix A – The Online Application Process

Environment and Climate Change Canada requires that applications be submitted online via the Grants and Contributions Enterprise Management System (GCEMS). The GCEMS is accessed through the department’s Single Window system.

To sign into the department’s Single Window system, select your language preference on the welcome page. When prompted to choose a sign-in method, select the GCKey sign-in option. If you already have a GCKey username and password, enter them in the appropriate spaces. If you do not have a GCKey username and password, proceed through the sign-up process to obtain your username and password.

New users to the Single Window system will then be prompted to enter their email address and guided through a process to create a user profile.

To gain access to the link that will allow you to navigate to the GCEMS, you must add an organization to your profile. On the menu select “Organizations” and follow the instructions on the web page that opens. Note that when entering the organization’s business number, you may use one of the following: business number; GST number; charitable number/non-profit organization registration number; or First Nations Band number. Once you have added your organization, select “Home” on the menu to navigate to the webpage that contains the link to the GCEMS.

Once you have accessed the GCEMS site, click on the link “View funding opportunities” on the left-hand side of the GCEMS “My applications” webpage. On the “View funding opportunities” webpage, locate the funding opportunity in the “List of opportunities” table and view the funding opportunity information by clicking on the associated link in the “Action(s)” column. On the “View funding opportunity information” webpage, click on “Apply” to open the online application process.

Information on how to access and use ECCC’s Single Window system.

For technical assistance with ECCC’s Single Window system, please contact ec.gigu-swim.ec@canada.ca.

Information on how to access the GCEMS.

Page details

Date modified: