Flooding is Canada’s costliest and most frequent natural disaster, and New Brunswick has experienced firsthand the devastating impacts of flooding this spring.

“Weather-related natural disasters are getting more severe, more frequent, more damaging and more expensive. This is a threat not only to the safety of our communities, but to our economic stability. The Government of Canada is determined to reduce these risks in partnership with provinces and territories. I welcome this funding as it will equip New Brunswick with the updated tools needed to better plan for and mitigate the impacts of flooding.”

—     Matt DeCourcey, Member of Parliament for Fredericton, New Brunswick, on behalf of the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

“These projects will provide valuable tools to help implement the province’s Climate Change Action Plan. Your government is investing in science-based mapping tools that will help inform decision making as we work collaboratively to keep New Brunswickers safe, build sustainable communities, and design future infrastructure projects.”

—     The Honourable Andrew Harvey, Minister of Environment and Local Government, New Brunswick

“These projects will help New Brunswickers in both inland and coastal communities make plans for flood-risk reduction. The maps will also be an essential part of a government’s due diligence before making funding decisions for infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and buildings.”

—     The Honourable Denis Landry, Justice and Public Safety Minister, New Brunswick

• The NDMP reflects an investment of $200 million over five years, of which $183 million is available for cost-shared, merit-based projects with provinces and territories to reduce the impacts of natural disasters.  The Government of Canada pays up to 50 per cent of eligible expenses for provincial projects with the provincial government and 75 per cent of eligible expenses for territorial projects with the territorial government.

• Since its launch in 2015, the NDMP has approved funding for 273 projects across Canada that are helping to build safer, more resilient communities.

• Through the NDMP, the Government of Canada is helping to address rising flood risks and costs, and build the foundation for informed investments that could reduce, or even negate, the effects of flood events. Funding is available for risk assessments, flood mapping, mitigation planning and small scale projects such as storm culverts.

• In addition to investing in provincial and territorial flood mitigation projects through the NDMP, the Government of Canada:

  • is investing in public awareness activities and risk and resiliency tools like the Federal Flood Mapping Guidelines to help all levels of government make informed decisions on flood mitigation;
  • has created a new $2-billion federal Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund to support the infrastructure required to deal with the effects of a changing climate; and
  • is integrating climate resilience into the National Building Code and conducting research to factor climate resilience into the design of buildings.

• According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, insured damage in 2016 topped $4.9 billion – passing the previous annual record of $3.2 billion set in 2013—and the annual economic cost of disasters around the world has increased five-fold since the 1980s. Flooding damage has accounted for 80 per cent of federal disaster assistance payments over the past 20 years.

• Studies have demonstrated that when structural and non-structural investments are implemented in concert, the result is a 6:1 return on investment.

Associated links

• National Disaster Mitigation Program
• FloodReady
• Federal Flood Mapping Guidelines
• Integrating climate resilience into the National Building Code

Scott Bardsley
Senior Advisor for Communications
Office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
613-998-5681
scott.bardsley@canada.ca

Media Relations
Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657
ps.mediarelations-relationsaveclesmedias.sp@canada.ca