Municipal Priorities for the Federal Role in Local Adaptation. Dan Casselman Senior Policy Advisor

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1 Municipal Priorities for the Federal Role in Local Adaptation Dan Casselman Senior Policy Advisor CWWA Climate Change Workshop October 28, 2014

2 OUTLINE About FCM Climate Change Adaptation Policy Context Local Adaptation Champions Local Challenges Municipal-Federal Partnership Solutions Discussion

3 The national voice of municipal governments since 1901

4 FCM ADAPTATION POLICY CONTEXT: Communities are experiencing climate change impacts

5 FCM ADAPTATION POLICY CONTEXT: Policy and Advocacy

6 FCM ADAPTATION POLICY CONTEXT: Today s infrastructure decisions become the infrastructure of tomorrow (and the next years ) Vehicle Building Pipes Bridge Subdivision

7 FCM ADAPTATION POLICY CONTEXT: Summer 2013 Turning Point PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT - FCM Sustainable Communities Conference Theme: Sink or Swim: New Approaches to Adaptation and Resilience - FCM-CSA Adapting Infrastructure to Climate Change e-learning course

8 LOCAL ADAPTATION CHAMPIONS There are valuable programs, resources and organizations helping support local adaptation: ICLEI Canada s Changing Climate, Changing Communities Guide and Workbook for Municipal Climate Adaptation Building Adaptive and Resilient Communities (BARC) Program Engineers Canada s PIEVC Protocol FCM and CSA s e-learning course Adapting to Severe Weather and a Changing Climate Élaborer un plan d aptation aux changements climatiques (Ouranos/Gouvernement du Québec)

9 LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHAMPIONS 34/35 elements of stormwater infrastructure at medium to high risk Addressing 10 high risk elements Municipal collaboration to implement tax credits for property owners who increase stormwater retention Community and local researchers developing adaptation options to address sea level rise and storm surge

10 DELTA, BC: Joined ICLEI Canada s BARC program in 2010 and has been working through the program s milestone framework Low-lying communities and farmland located in South Delta vulnerable to future sea-level rise, storm surges, flooding, etc Municipal staff worked with residents and a team from UBC to examine what Delta s future would look like in terms of potential flooding and flood management solutions Visualizations were developed, which helped residents and decision makers understand the different flood adaptation efforts that could be taken within the community

11 CITY OF EDMONTON: Assessing Vulnerability of Bridges Quesnell Bridge Assessed in 2010 Applied the PIEVC protocol Results Changes to stormwater collection infrastructure on bridge deck Relocation of stormwater retention pond in anticipation of river flooding

12 CITY OF SASKATOON SUPERPIPES: Preventing Sewer Overflow Superpipes are sanitary sewer holding tanks Reduced risk of basement flooding, and frequency and severity of sanitary sewer spills into the South Saskatchewan River Seven tanks installed since 2008

13 NORTH VANCOUVER, BC: Also a member of ICLEI s BARC program, the City completed its first adaptation plan in 2013 Had experienced several extreme-weather events, including a 2005 landslide caused by heavy precipitation that led to loss of life and property damage As a first step, the City decided to conduct a city-wide risk assessment of properties on steep slopes Worked with homeowners to undertake geotechnical work, part of which involved homeowners developing a safety plan

14 LOCAL ADAPTATION CHALLENGES Although many LGs are becoming increasingly aware of the issue, most have not yet begun to proactively develop a plan or strategy Which of the statements below best describes your local government s situation? We have an adaption plan/strategy in place. 5% We are now in the process of developing an adaptation plan/strategy. 7.5% We do not have an individual adaptation plan/strategy, but we have incorporated adaptation into an existing plan or plans. 7.5% We are now in the process of incorporating adaptation into an existing plan. 3.3% We are beginning to discuss adaptation, but are not at the stage of developing a plan or strategy, or incorporating adaptation into an existing plan. 20.4% We do not have an adaptation plan/strategy and are not considering adaptation planning at this time. 45.1% Other 5.8% Source: 2014 National Municipal Adaptation Survey (NMAP)

15 LOCAL ADAPTATION CHALLENGES Results from FCM Policy Forum on Climate Change FCM 2014 Annual Conference Niagara Falls, ON The greatest barriers to adapting / responding to the projected climate impacts for your local government (top 3 in order of priority) 1. Competing priorities 2. No political or policy leadership from other orders of government 3. No resources to implement adaptation measures

16 LOCAL ADAPTATION CHALLENGES Results from FCM Policy Forum on Climate Change Adaptation FCM 2014 Annual Conference Niagara Falls, ON Local government needs to adapt your infrastructure and operations to the impacts of climate change (top 3 in order of priority) 1. New financial resources 2. Resources and tools to plan and respond 3. Understanding of the projected impacts and risks 3. Existing infrastructure funding programs that integrate adaptation

17 MUNICIPAL-FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP SOLUTIONS PRIORITY: Supporting the integration of climate resilience within infrastructure retrofits and the design of new infrastructure. SOLUTIONS: Invest in asset management capacity building at the local level in order to facilitate prioritization of investments under climate change scenarios Introduce tax and financial incentives to enhance resilience to climate change [green infrastructure, building retrofits, etc] Update engineering standards to reflect future weather and climate conditions

18 MUNICIPAL-FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP SOLUTIONS PRIORITY: Building and supporting local capacity, especially in smaller communities, to assess risk and respond to current and future climate change impacts. SOLUTIONS: Support research and innovation in local climate forecasting, climate change adaptation and disaster mitigation Mobilize standardized risk assessment, planning and decisionmaking tools Develop, in partnership with municipalities, a plan for intergovernmental cooperation in the updating of Canada s flood plain maps

19 OUTLINE About FCM Climate Change Adaptation Policy Context Local Adaptation Champions Local Challenges Municipal-Federal Partnership Solutions

20 DISCUSSION