Coquitlam – Working together to reduce risks from the changing climate will help keep Canadians safer and healthier. Acting now will help improve long-term resilience and reduce costs associated with the increasing frequency of extreme weather events in Canada, including higher grocery prices, insurance premiums and local taxes to cover the costs of disaster recovery and damage.
Across the country, the impacts of climate change are becoming more severe and more frequent with extreme events like floods, wildfires and heatwaves on the rise. Gradual changes, like thawing permafrost in the north and rising sea levels in coastal regions, are also affecting the safety of our communities and quality of life. To protect our communities from the worst economic and environmental impacts of climate change, we must continue to prepare for the changes that are coming by investing in community resilience. This will not only support the safety of Canadians but also reinforce the ability of communities to recover from extreme weather events.
Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson announced over $7 million in funding for 12 projects in British Columbia or with a national reach under Natural Resources Canada’s 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.
The funding announced today 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.
The steps we take now will protect our communities, our livelihoods, our environment and our economy. We are actively investing in climate change adaptation to proactively support long-term, community-led resilience and adaptation projects. It is essential, now more than ever, that we come together to help communities stay strong in the face of the current and future impacts of climate change.
“The impacts associated with climate change, including atmospheric rivers here in British Columbia, are being felt right now. That is why this federal government is acting now to help our communities and our economy prepare and protect themselves from the threat of climate change. This announcement of 12 projects based in British Columbia under two funding programs supports the vital long-term, community-based work to keep people safe now and into the future.” – Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
“Municipalities are on the front lines of climate change, and they know best what local challenges — and solutions — are affecting local neighbourhoods, transportation and businesses. The 12 projects under the CCAP and CRCC program will help build stronger, more livable communities, providing safety and security in the face of a changing climate. With smart investments, forward planning and active collaboration, we can support communities that are already feeling the impacts of climate change and help make them more sustainable and prosperous for generations to come.” – Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change