2019 Annual Report

Partners for Action (P4A) is pleased to share our research, communication, and partnership highlights with the release of our 2019 Annual Report (PDF). Read highlights of our activities from the past year and what’s ahead for Partners for Action in 2020.

2019 Highlights:

Engaging and Empowering Youth with Educational Materials on Flooding:

In 2019, Partners for Action partnered with Canadian Geographic and the Royal Canadian Geographic Society to develop bilingual educational materials on flooding. These unique resources are tailored to students in grades 5-12 and include a tiled map, infographic and companion lesson plans. Via Canadian Geographic, they are available to more than 20,000 educators and others seeking to inspire flood risk awareness.

Improving How We Communicate with Canadians about Flooding:

We have curated countless flood risk resources from around the world to improve knowledge on how language and messaging is used in order to more effectively incite action on flood preparedness and response at the property level. In partnership with communications experts, and leveraging principles and best practices of effective communication from disciplines such as risk communication and community-based social marketing, Partners for Action developed language and awareness-to-action messaging that takes into account common knowledge gaps and barriers to action.

Building a Repository of FloodSmart Resources:

FloodSmart Canada is a bilingual repository of flood awareness to action resources for Canadians. We have curated a wealth of materials, including resources on flood mapping, educational tools, emergency preparedness advice, flood insurance information, risk messaging and a social media communication kit.

A Snapshot of What’s Ahead:

Taking the Pulse of Canadians on Flooding: A National Survey

In the coming year, Partners for Action will survey Canadians across the country to learn about their attitudes, values and beliefs related to flooding and flood risk management. The results will be used to inform policy advice for governments to better engage individuals and further enhance community flood resilience.

Exploring Transformative Change: Effective Property Buyout Programs

Together with diverse stakeholders from across Canada, Partners for Action is leading an applied research project on managed retreat from high-risk flood areas through property buyouts that move people out of harm’s way. To implement buyouts effectively, decision-makers require evidence-based policy advice about how to design programs that maximize economic efficiency, political viability and social acceptability. This project will draw lessons from current and past buyout programs and highlight the tradeoffs that governments must consider when designing new programs.

Empowering Canadian Communities with Awareness-to-Action Flood Information and Resources

Partners for Action will explore how research on socio-economic vulnerability can be used to prioritize investment in flood risk reduction. We will develop and refine flood risk communication resources that will inform Canadians and encourage them to take practical steps to improve their awareness and reduce their flood risk. We will work with partners to host meetings in communities to reach Canadians directly.