Canada invest in climate change adaptation to keep communities safe in Southern Ontario and across Canada

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. 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.

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.

Julie Dabrusin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, along with Member of Parliament Bardish Chagger, announced over $4.5 million in funding for nine projects in southern Ontario or with a national reach under Natural Resources Canada’s Climate Change Adaptation Program (CCAP). These projects aim to enhance knowledge and skills among professionals, businesses and communities in southern Ontario and across Canada to adapt to a changing climate, through the development and delivery of tools, resources and training.

“We are very pleased to announce funding for these nine projects that will support communities and sectors to develop and implement actions to better adapt to a changing climate. Keeping Canadians safe is a priority, and investments like those announced today go a long way to help mitigate the impacts associated with climate change that are devastating livelihoods, environments and the economy,” said Dabrusin.

The funding announced comes from a total investment of $39.5 million, announced on November 14, 2024, through the CCAP and the Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities (CRCC) Program to reduce climate change risks and build more resilient communities across the country in support of the National Adaptation Strategy (NAS).

“The impacts associated with climate change — including intense wildfires, devastating floods, stronger tropical storms and hurricanes, and permafrost thaw in the north — are being felt environmentally and economically in every single region of Canada. That is why this federal government is acting now to help our communities and our economy prepare for and protect against the threat of climate change. Today’s announcement of nine projects based in southern Ontario supports vital, community-based work to keep people safe now and into the future,” said The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.

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 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 current and future change.

 

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