Ontario Construction News staff writer
The federal government and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities are providing $34.2 million for 141 climate adaptation projects across Canada.
Funding, announced Aug. 13 through the Green Municipal Fund’s Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation initiative, will help municipalities prepare for increasingly frequent and severe weather, including wildfires, flooding, coastal erosion and extreme heat.
“Municipalities across Canada are on the front lines of climate preparedness: protecting residents, safeguarding community infrastructure, and building resilience. Without proper planning and support, this work will continue to strain local budgets that are already stretched thin,” said Tim Tierney, President, Federation of Canadian Municipalities. “FCM is proud to stand alongside the Government of Canada in supporting communities as they put these funds to work protecting the people and places they serve.”
To qualify, projects must be designed to protect communities and critical infrastructure from climate-related threats and can include stormwater infrastructure upgrades, shoreline rehabilitation and cooling facilities, as well as climate-focused asset management strategies, comprehensive risk assessments and adaptation plans.
The Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation initiative was launched in June 2024 as a $530-million program funded through the federal Adaptation Action Plan and National Adaptation Strategy. The program is intended to help municipalities across Canada build long-term climate resilience as communities face growing risks from extreme weather.
“This funding helps municipalities advance their climate preparedness – and it is a fiscally responsible investment,” said Carole Saab, CEO, Federation of Canadian Municipalities. “Every effort we make to protect communities from the impacts of a changing climate is money that doesn’t have to be spent on emergency response, rebuilding, and lost economic activity afterward.
It allows communities from coast to coast to coast to get ahead of the storm, instead of cleaning up after it.”
New research from the Canadian Climate Institute estimates that proactive adaptation to increased rainfall and extreme heat could save governments up to $9 billion a year by preventing significant infrastructure damage.
Funding comes as municipalities across Canada face increasing pressure to prepare roads, stormwater systems, buildings and other critical infrastructure for the impacts of a changing climate.
