Adapting to Climate Change: An Introduction for Canadian Municipalities

 Preface

Our climate is changing. Scientific understanding of climate change indicates that Canada will experience significant shifts in weather patterns over the span of a single generation, a trend that will most likely continue for the next several centuries or longer.

Among the anticipated impacts of climate change are droughts; diminished and lower quality surface water; a higher incidence of vector-borne diseases; more frequent heat waves with high discomfort in urban centres; and an increase in storm surges in coastal regions. The magnitude of warming is expected to be greater in the North compared to the rest of the country. Resourced-based communities, which generally have economies that are closely connected to the climate, will be more vulnerable. For most municipalities, the change in the frequency of extremes in weather, such as intense precipitation, heavy winds, or ice storms is one of the greatest concerns.

One strategy to reduce a community's vulnerability to the effects of climate change is to anticipate and adapt. This Introduction is a first step in providing municipal decision-makers information to understand the need for climate change adaptation and how to put such measures in place.

The Introduction is intended for elected municipal officials and senior staff. It outlines decision-making processes to adapt to climate change and showcases municipal adaptation measures implemented across the country. The goal is to help municipal governments make informed decisions and take appropriate action. For those municipalities that are already developing adaptation measures, this document can help enhance an understanding of climate change adaptation among elected officials, staff and the broader community.

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