On November 24, 2022, the Government of Canada released Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy: Building Resilient Communities and a Strong Economy. The document discusses the federal government’s role and approach to preparing for climate change hazards and outlines specific investments aimed at addressing the impacts.
The federal government committed to developing Canada’s first comprehensive National Adaptation Strategy in December 2020 through its Strengthened Climate Plan, and then reaffirmed this commitment at the UNFCCC’s COP26 in Glasgow. In that time, consultation has taken place with provincial, territorial, and municipal governments; First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation representatives; key experts and stakeholders; and the general public.
The announcement includes $1.6 billion in new federal funding commitments designed to help protect communities across Canada, building off existing federal commitments to adaptation, disaster resilience and disaster response that total over $8 billion to date.
To effectively implement and achieve the goals and objectives set out in the Strategy, the federal government has also released the Government of Canada Adaptation Action Plan. It will organize federal efforts and create an inventory of federal actions that complement steps taken by other key stakeholders. Like the Strategy, the Action Plan will be updated over time to ensure it reflects the federal government’s comprehensive approach to adapting to climate change.
The Action Plan includes nearly 70 existing or new actions that address climate risks across five key priority areas:
Provinces, territories, and national Indigenous organizations have a final 90 days to engage with and provide feedback to the federal government on the Strategy.
The Sussex team is happy to help answer any questions on the funding mechanisms announced as part of the Strategy. Please reach out to Sussex’s Federal Practice Group, Environment Practice Group, or your Sussex advisor if you have any questions or for more information.
Roberto Chavez, Senior Associate, Federal Practice
rchavez@sussex-strategy.com
Teodora Durca, Research Associate, Environment Practice
tdurca@sussex-strategy.com