Tab C: Climate Resilience

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33. Resiliency to the impacts of Climate Change
34. G7 Sustainable Urban Development

Resiliency to the impacts of Climate Change

Issue / question

Infrastructure Canada's approach to climate change resilience

Suggested response

• Wildfires and floods displace communities and damage critical infrastructure. Ensuring our infrastructure can withstand the effects of climate change is vital to keeping people safe and growing our economy.
• Since 2018, we have delivered the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, through which we have approved and announced over $2.3 billion towards 84 public infrastructure projects that will prevent infrastructure failures because of climate change. We also committed to incorporating climate resilience objectives into all our future infrastructure funding programs.
• We are investing in innovative research to enable the development and updating of climate-resilient codes, standards, and guidelines so infrastructure built today withstands current and future climate conditions. We are preparing to launch new tools and support services to help communities make climate-smart infrastructure decisions.

Background

• Proactive investments in climate resilient infrastructure are vital to protecting communities as the impacts of climate change become more intense and frequent across the country. Climate resilient infrastructure is built and natural infrastructure assets and systems that are situated, planned, designed, built, operated and maintained to protect communities or to withstand and sustain service in the face of climate change.
• The Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF) ($3.8 billion committed until 2022-33) has positioned Infrastructure Canada (INFC) as a major funder for the construction of new public infrastructure and/or modification or reinforcement of existing public infrastructure that prevents, mitigates, or protects against current and future climate-related risks and disasters. DMAF is expected to commit its remaining funding through its most recent intake that closed in July 2023.
• INFC's Natural Infrastructure Fund was launched in July 2022 to support natural and hybrid infrastructure projects to further Canada's commitment to climate change resilience while contributing to national biodiversity goals and targets. Projects have been fully assessed and applicants will be informed of the result of the assessments in due course.
• Canada's first National Adaptation Strategy (NAS), released in June 2023, sets forth a shared path for a more climate-resilient Canada. INFC is in a unique position to advance the goals and objectives of the NAS as it prepares to deliver its next generation of infrastructure investments, such as: 
• the goal that by 2050 all infrastructure systems are climate-resilient and undergo continuous adaptation to adjust to future impacts to deliver reliable services to all;
• the federal target that all new infrastructure investments will be informed by resilience objectives to ensure what we build today can withstand future climate conditions.
• Moving forward, all INFC investments will apply resilience requirements, such as: resilience assessments; climate-informed design data; the application of guidelines, standards, and codes according to asset and hazard type.
• In 2024, INFC is planning to launch a suite of decision-making tools, resources, and support services, including an online open-access climate toolkits platform, to help infrastructure owners and investors develop projects that are resilient to climate change impacts and contribute to Canada's path to net-zero emissions.

G7 Sustainable Urban Development

Issue / question

Canadian involvement at the 2023 G7 Ministerial Meeting and the Sustainable Urban Development agenda.

Suggested response

• In support of advancing climate-resilient initiatives and collaborating with counterparts at the G7, Canada attended the G7 Ministerial Meeting on Sustainable Urban Development from July 7-9, 2023, in Takamatsu, Japan.
• As a result, the G7 Ministers released a Communiqué outlining a commitment for joint action to advance international cooperation on sustainable urban development.
• The G7 agenda is consistent with our Government's commitment to continue investing in housing and infrastructure, including the vital climate resilient infrastructure that protects our urban communities from the impacts of climate change.
• Canada remains committed to working within this forum with a view to sharing best practices and promoting sustainable urban development as this is aligned with the Government's commitment to promoting complete, livable, and sustainable communities.

Background

• The former Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Dominic LeBlanc, represented Canada at the G7 Ministerial Meeting on Sustainable Urban Development from July 7-9, 2023, in Takamatsu, Japan. The Meeting consisted of three dedicated sessions on each of the key themes introduced by Japan: net-zero and resilient cities, inclusive cities, digitalization in cities, as well as a special session on Ukraine. Minister LeBlanc shared Canada's perspectives on each of the key themes and provided a presentation on Canada's approach to advancing net-zero and resilient cities.
• The G7 Sustainable Urban Development policy track provided Canada with the opportunity to exchange with G7 counterparts and experts from the United Nations (UN)-Habitat, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Urban 7 on key sustainable urban development themes that cut across Infrastructure Canada's mandate.
• These discussions underscored the value of sustainable urban development and showcased federal policies, programs and investments that support communities across the country. Participation also recognized Canada's commitment to advance the implementation of existing international frameworks and agreements such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular, Goal 11: to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
• The G7 Sustainable Urban Development policy track is a theme that touches not only on Infrastructure Canada's mandate, but also the mandate of other federal departments.
• Infrastructure Canada officials continue to work with their G7 counterparts through the Sustainable Urban Development Officials (SUDO7) forum.
• Italy will be the 2024 G7 President, and it is anticipated that they will continue the Sustainable Urban Development theme. Canada will continue to work closely with its G7 counterparts in preparation for Italy's 2024 Presidency.
• Canada's first National Adaptation Strategy (NAS), released in June 2023, sets forth a shared path for a more climate-resilient Canada. INFC is in a unique position to advance the goals and objectives of the NAS as it prepares to deliver its next generation of infrastructure investments, such as:
  • the goal that by 2050 all infrastructure systems are climate-resilient and undergo continuous adaptation to adjust to future impacts to deliver reliable services to all; 
  • the federal target that all new infrastructure investments will be informed by resilience objectives to ensure what we build today can withstand future climate conditions.
• In the event that the Government – and the G7 – continue to advance this theme as part of the G7 agenda, including during Italy's presidency in 2024 and Canada's in 2025, INFC will continue to support this G7 theme as it is consistent with the Government's agenda across a range of priorities, including housing, complete communities and supporting infrastructure resilience in the face of increasing climate risks.

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