Coastal communities in Canada are experiencing the impacts of climate change, including sea level rise, coastal erosion and more extreme storms, flooding and wildfires. These communities face multiple, complex risks affecting their health, environment and economy.
Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, recently announced that up to $30 million in total funding is now available for pilot projects through the Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities (CRCC) program. This program will enable communities and businesses to work together to develop innovative solutions to address climate change and mitigate and adapt to risks in coastal regions.
“We have seen the impacts of climate change in our communities, but especially in coastal regions,” said Wilkinson. “The Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities Program will spur collaborative and innovative solutions that help communities mitigate the impacts of climate change and adapt to the effects that we are already seeing.”
The Call for Proposals will fund up to 25 regional-scale pilot projects in coastal regions that take an integrated, systems-based approach to build community and economic resilience to a changing climate. The CRCC will proactively work across sectors and jurisdictions and with coastal partners, Indigenous rights-holders, communities and stakeholders to plan and coordinate actions to increase resiliency in a changing climate.
The CRCC received $41 million under the Government of Canada Adaptation Action Plan, which accompanied the release of the National Adaptation Strategy. The National Adaptation Strategy lays out an agreed-upon framework to reduce the risk of climate-related disasters, improve health outcomes, protect nature and biodiversity, build and maintain resilient infrastructure, and support a strong economy and workers. It also identifies common goals, objectives and targets to focus the efforts of governments and communities across these key areas and to help ensure future investments are targeted and effective.
Projects can be located in Canada’s three coastal regions — Pacific, North and Atlantic — as well as the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence River region. Please refer to the CRCC webpage for additional information.
For further information, visit: Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities (CRCC) Call for Proposals
Featured image credit: Standards Council of Canada
