Canada Invests in Climate Change Adaptation to Keep Communities Safe in British Columbia and Across Canada

On November 14, 2024, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced over $7 million in support for 12 projects that are either based in British Columbia (B.C.) or have a national reach under the 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.

This funding comes from a total investment of $39.5 million for 53 projects through the CCAP and 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. 

NRCan is funding the following seven projects under CCAP:

Project Name: Wildfire and Forest Industry Dialogue Series
Recipient: Simon Fraser University
Reach: British Columbia
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Funding from CCAP: $500,001
Project Summary: This project will accelerate implementation of adaptation measures in the forest sector by addressing key barriers to wildfire risk reduction and landscape fire management strategies, including by developing decision support tools and guidance documents for forest industry actors.

Project Name: Using Economic Tools to Advance Adaptation
Recipient: ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (Management) Inc.
Reach: National
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Funding from CCAP: $400,000
Project Summary: This project will involve engaging a wide variety of professionals seeking to apply economic tools to advance community-wide resilience and working with them to implement and refine two existing practitioner-developed tools to support adaptation decision-making: the Cost of Doing Nothing (CODN) Toolbox and the Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) Guide. This work will culminate in a gap assessment examining where additional guidance and support are needed.

Project Name: Development of a Climate Resiliency Training Program for Building Sector Professionals
Recipient: Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia
Reach: National
Location: Burnaby, B.C.
Funding from CCAP: $366,841
Project Summary: This project will build the capacity of building sector professionals to integrate climate change adaptation into their practice through the development and delivery of training course and a guidance document on climate change resiliency.

Project Name: Valuing and Restoring Cultural Heritage in a Changing Climate: An Indigenous Approach to Natural Capital Valuation to Support Indigenous-led Climate Adaptation
Recipient: Secwepemcúl’ecw Restoration and Stewardship Society
Reach: British Columbia
Location: Kamloops, B.C.
Funding from CCAP: $292,800
Project Summary: This project will augment traditional cumulative effects approaches to develop and apply a novel cultural ecosystem services–valuation approach to conduct a holistic, Indigenous-centred cost-benefit analysis of priority climate change adaptation pathways.

Project Name: Bolstering Community Capacity in Integrating Climate Risk into Renewable Energy Project Planning
Recipient: Fraser Basin Council Society
Reach: National
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Funding from CCAP: $255,118
Project Summary: This project will enhance the resilience of low-carbon energy systems in Canada. Specifically focusing on biomass and solar energy, the work aims to empower communities to identify and manage climate-related risks when planning and implementing renewable energy projects. 

Project Name: Building Capacity for Community Climate Resilience
Recipient: HeronBridge Consulting Inc.
Reach: British Columbia
Location: Sointula, B.C.
Funding from CCAP: $231,000 
Project Summary: This project will build capacity among decision-makers and practitioners at the community and regional levels to act on adaptation and enhance resilience by developing and delivering a capacity-building program, a series of learning and dialogue sessions and a resources guide that will target Indigenous communities and organizations and small, mid-sized, rural and remote communities in British Columbia.

Project Name: Strengthening the Business Case: Information and Guidance to Value the Co-Benefits of Nature-Based Adaptation
Recipient: ESSA Technologies Ltd.
Reach: National
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Funding from CCAP: $195,955 
Project Summary: This project will develop a compendium of monetary values and simple guidance for the range of co-benefits arising from different nature-based solutions for reducing climate risk to enhancing climate resilience of Canadian communities, and will apply these values to conduct four Canadian case studies.

NRCan is funding the following five projects under CRCC:

Project Name: Lifelines in the Fraser Estuary: Taking Care of Each Other for a Climate Resilient Future
Recipient: Emergency Planning Secretariat
Reach: Lower Fraser River Estuary, British Columbia (Pacific Region)
Location: Lower Fraser River Estuary, Abbotsford, B.C.
Funding from CRCC: $1,791,265
Project Summary: This project will develop priority adaptation actions and address climate risks from sea level rise, flooding and erosion to local essential services across the Fraser River Estuary. This work will increase the capacity, knowledge and engagement of communities to take coordinated short- and long-term adaptation action and will be driven by collaboration with First Nations and local governments.

Project Name: British Columbia Southern Coastal Regional Climate Adaptations Collaborative
Recipient: ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (Management) Inc.
Reach: British Columbia (Pacific Region)
Location: Southern British Columbia Coast
Funding from CRCC: $1,557,900
Project Summary: This project will address regional climate risks related to flooding, extreme weather and sea level rise within the southern coast of British Columbia by co-developing a climate adaptation action plan and a short-term implementation plan. This work will also include protecting species at risk, enhancing local biodiversity and addressing regional health concerns.

Project Name: Port of Vancouver Climate Adaptation Planning Project
Recipient: Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA)
Reach: Vancouver, British Columbia (Pacific Region)
Location: Burrard Inlet, Fraser River Estuary, Roberts Bank, B.C.
Funding from CRCC: $1,427,125
Project Summary: This project will develop a climate adaptation plan for the Port of Vancouver that builds on substantial regional and port authority efforts to respond to climate change risks to port infrastructure and operations. It will consider social, economic and environmental dimensions and support the implementation of adaptation actions that increase the long-term resilience of port operations, regional supply chains, natural systems and neighbouring coastal communities.

Project Name: Regional District of Nanaimo Coastal Climate Adaptation Strategy
Recipient: Regional District of Nanaimo
Reach: Regional District of Nanaimo, British Columbia (Pacific Region)
Location: Nanaimo, Lantzville, Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Qualicum FN, Snuneymuxw, Snaw-Naw-As, Cedar, Gabriola Island, Nanoose Bay, Bowser, B.C.
Funding from CRCC: $310,750
Project Summary: This project will leverage previous modelling research of coastal flood hazards and risk assessments to support coastal climate resilience planning in the Regional District of Nanaimo. It will create an inclusive and collaborative resilience strategy for coastal climate change adaptation and preparedness by working with various levels of government, First Nations, shoreline property owners, businesses and community members.

Project Name: Global Leading Practices to Advance Coastal Adaptation in Canadian Communities
Recipient: Aspen Global Change Institute
Reach: Canada / International
Location: West, East and North Coasts
Funding from CRCC: $99,253
Project Summary: This project will share global leading practices from the United States, New Zealand/Australia, Latin America and Caribbean, and Asia related to regional-scale and integrated adaptation actions to inform solutions to sea level rise and related climate change challenges identified by Canadian practitioners.