Our 2017 Annual report (PDF) highlights who we are, where we've been, and where we're headed. Please read and share!
Floods happen. How can our communities weather the storm?
In the face of a changing climate and extreme weather, the goal of Partners for Action (P4A) is to advance flood resiliency in Canada. Experts agree that extreme weather is a serious problem; we must act now to make our communities resilient by reducing risk, and putting plans in place to recover quickly should extreme weather impact Canadian communities.
Across Canada, damage from extreme weather has cost taxpayers and insurers almost $10 billion since 1998. Water-related damage is now the leading cause of home-insurance claims in many communities, large and small. Municipal governments, the insurance industry, researchers, and the public are coming together to better understand what we can do to lower that number in the future, and focus on preventing flood damage, rather than cleanup.
Partners for Action is an applied research network dedicated to reducing the risk of flood damage in Canadian communities.
We can work together to build more flood-resilient communities. We invite you to join us.
What is a resilient community?
Flood resiliency involves the promotion of flood awareness and preparedness, as well as strategies to adapt to and to prevent flooding events.
A resilient community uses a combination of structural (such as dams and berms) and non-structural (such as policies, plans, and procedures) adaptation strategies and learns from past disasters in order to minimize the impacts of flooding and recover quickly.
News
- Sep. 25, 2018Article: Helping neighbourhoods weather the storm
P4A was recently featured in the Faculty of Environment's newsletter ENVision. Learn more about how the network was created by a University of Waterloo alumna and how P4A is working to mitigate the impacts of flooding.
- Apr. 16, 2018Save the date: CatIQ Connect
Bringing Together Industry, Academia and Government to Discuss Canadian Natural and Mad-Made Catastrophes.
CatIQ Connect will be hosting the Canada's Catastrophe Conference February 4-6, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario. Make sure to save the date for this incredible conference.
- Mar. 20, 2018P4A teams up with the Canadian Red Cross to protect Canadians from floods
The Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo, Partners for Action (P4A) and the Canadian Red Cross (CRC) are proud to announce a new partnership to advance flood resiliency in Canada.
Blog
- Oct. 16, 2018Importance of Natural Infrastructure for Flood Mitigation
In a recent report, the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) explored how natural infrastructure is playing an increasingly important role in flood prevention. As more development occurs, there is a clearing out of wetlands and natural areas causing limited options for water storage. This leaves communities vulnerable to the effects of major flooding. By conserving and restoring natural systems to their original state they can provide effective ecosystem services for neighbouring communities.
- Oct. 9, 2018Spotlight Story: Surrey, British Columbia
Living along coastal waters highlights the need for direct action against flooding in the City of Surrey, British Columbia. City Councillor Mike Starchuck states that “we can’t afford not to do anything”, addressing the need to take immediate action to address flood resiliency in Surrey.
- Oct. 1, 2018The health effects of flooding
When considering the effects of floods, it’s common to think about the immediate risks such as drowning or physical distress and to dismiss long term impacts. It is important to acknowledge that even after a flood occurs there is still a significant risk of impacts on one’s health. With intense flood events on the rise it is becoming even more critical for Canadians to understand the various associated threats.
