Every year, flooding causes millions of dollars in property damage - what can be done to help mitigate this risk? A new report from the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation has laid out guidelines to do just that.
Extreme
weather
events
including
floods
are
becoming
more
common.
Every
year,
flooding
causes
millions
of
dollars
in
property
damage.
Approximately
1.7
million
Canadian
homes
are
at
risk
of
riverine
or
overland
flooding.
And
as
our
climate
continues
to
change,
the
risk
of
flooding—and
the
costs
associated
with
it—are
expected
to
increase.
The Intact
Centre
on
Climate
Adaptation (Intact
Centre)
at
the University
of
Waterloo and
the Standards
Council
of
Canada (SCC)
have
joined
forces
to
develop
a
new
compilation
of
national
standards
and
guidelines
for
increasing
Canada’s
resilience
to
flooding.
Presented as a “one-stop-shop” for practical and cost-effective ways to alleviate the risk of future floods, the report’s key message is that Canadians already have the tools they need to protect lives and property from flooding. What has been lacking – until now – is a summary of practical actions that stakeholders in Canada can undertake to materially improve flood resilience in their homes, businesses and communities.
The report comes with a message of urgency.
Extreme weather caused by climate change is on the rise, and Canada "is not moving fast enough" to limit the risks to people, property and the economy, say Natalia Moudrak and Water Institute member Dr. Blair Feltmate, co-authors of Under One Umbrella: Practical Approaches for Reducing Flood Risks in Canada.
"Canadians
have
already
developed
practical,
workable
methods
to
increase
resilience
to
flooding
--
this
report
gathers
them
in
one
place,
so
people
can
start
using
them
now,"
Moudrak
said.
"We
don't
have
the
luxury
of
time."
“Under
One
Umbrella is
a
toolbox
of
practical
solutions
that
Canadians
can
put
into
action
–
today
–
to
strengthen
our
resilience
to
floods,”
said
Chantal
Guay,
CEO
of
SCC.
“This
report
is
an
excellent
example
of
how,
working
together,
SCC
and
the
Intact
Centre,
supported
by
a
dedicated
group
of
flood
professionals,
are
helping
drive
Canada’s
health,
well-being,
and
economic
prosperity.
Protecting
what
we
have
is
especially
important
in
these
exceptionally
challenging
times.”
The report outlines the risks of not acting swiftly:
- Flooding is the costliest extreme-weather disaster in Canada, causing insurance payouts to exceed $1-billion in the last 11 of the 12 years leading up to 2020, and $900-million in federal disaster-relief annually.
- Businesses and homeowners endure additional uninsurable losses, to the tune of three to four times the insurable losses.
- Canadians afflicted by floods often suffer physical and mental health problems, sometimes for years afterward.
The publication highlights examples, from existing national standards and guidance, of actions to limit flood risks:
- Homeowners and tenants can clean out eavestroughs and catch basins; install plastic covers over basement window wells; test sump pumps to ensure they are working; and make emergency plans and kits.
- Governments at all levels can provide up-to-date flood-risk maps and property-level flood risk information; ensure that flood-forecasting and warning systems are in place; include flood-resilience expenditures in long-term financial plans; and update building codes to reflect flood-resilience measures.
- Owners and managers of commercial buildings can create flood response plans and procedures for each building; equip buildings with portable barriers, sandbags, backup generators, emergency lighting and other supplies; protect critical equipment; and incorporate the cost of such actions into asset-management and long-term financial planning.
- Professionals involved in buying, selling or insuring property -- including insurance brokers, mortgage brokers, real estate agents and home inspectors -- can boost their skills with professional training about household flood protection through their professional associations. Mortgage lenders can offer incentives for retrofits that make homes more resilient to flooding.
- Regional conservation agencies and ENGOS (Environmental Non-Government Organizations) can publicize existing data about flood risks, and assess and communicate the economic benefits provided by specific natural infrastructure (such as ponds, wetlands and areas with trees and vegetation) for flood protection to local communities.
- Institutional investors, such as pension funds, can identify the physical risks that climate change poses for companies in different industry sectors; if they find that flooding is a risk, they should find out whether those companies have taken steps to reduce that risk.
The Intact Centre is an applied research centre at the University of Waterloo. For additional information, visit: https://www.intactcentreclimateadaptation.ca/
Established in 1970 as a federal Crown corporation, the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) is Canada’s voice on standards and accreditation on the national and international stage. For more information visit www.scc-ccn.ca