Contact
Professor
Political Science, Faculty of Arts
University of Waterloo
Daniel is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Waterloo and is the co-lead of the Climate Risk Research Group. He has over 20 years of experience with applied policy analysis in complex policy areas such as climate change adaptation, emergency management and flood risk management, including contract research for Global Affairs Canada, Health Canada, Infrastructure Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Public Safety Canada and others. He has also advised Canada’s Task Force on Flood Insurance and Relocation.
Daniel is currently leading a SSHRC-funded national study combining spatial analysis and comparative case studies to assess governance arrangements to achieve critical infrastructure resilience in a changing climate. He is also a member of the Canadian Climate Institute’s Adaptation Expert Panel.
Current projects include:
- Evaluating effective governance arrangements for climate resilient infrastructure in five sectors (health care, public safety, government services, finances, and transportation)
- Analyzing the effectiveness of Canada’s flood risk governance arrangements through the utilization of climate change-adjusted flood maps and engaging interested parties in risk dialogues towards the identification of flood resilience strategies
- Analyzing the relationships between adaptation policies, multi-level governance mechanisms, and patterns of interaction between state and societal actors.
Select Publications
- Cottar, S., Henstra, D., Thistlethwaite, J., Doberstein, B., & Wandel, J. (2025). Navigating land use after managed retreat: Decisions facing local governments in the post-buyout environment. Environmental Hazards.
- Raikes, J., Henstra, D., & Thistlethwaite, J. (2023). Managed retreat from high-risk flood areas: Exploring public attitudes and expectations about property buyouts. Environmental Hazards 22 (2).
- Cottar, S., Doberstein, B., Henstra, D., & Wandel, J. (2021). Evaluating property buyouts and disaster recovery assistance (Rebuild) options in Canada: A comparative analysis of Constance Bay, Ontario and Pointe Gatineau, Quebec. Natural Hazards 109.
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Thistlethwaite, J., Henstra, D., & Ziolecki, A. (2020). Managed retreat from high-risk flood areas: Design considerations for effective property buyout programs. CIGI Policy Brief No. 158.
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Henstra, D., & Thistlethwaite, J. (2019). Managing urban flood risk: A framework for evaluating alternative policy instruments. CIGI Policy Brief No. 147.
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Henstra, D., & Thistlethwaite, J. (2018). Buyer beware: Evaluating property disclosure as a tool to support flood risk management. CIGI Policy Brief No. 131.
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Thistlethwaite, J., Henstra, D., Brown, C., & Scott, D. (2017).How flood experience and risk perception influences protective actions and behaviours among Canadian homeowners. Environmental Management 61.
- Henstra, D. (2016). The tools of climate adaptation policy: Analysing instruments and instrument selection. Climate Policy 16 (4).