Case study series: Using climate data to drive adaptation

Climate change has a significant impact on the water cycle and sea levels, resulting in long-term and extreme weather events like flooding, increased precipitation and droughts. To address water-related risks and vulnerabilities worsened by climate change, communities from coast to coast to coast are adapting their infrastructure design and planning processes.

Your municipality needs reliable climate data and projections to effectively adapt to local climate challenges. To help you make sense of climate data, our Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program (MCIP) partnered with the Canadian Center for Climate Services (CCCS) to develop a series of five case studies to explore how small and medium sized municipalities used data to improve their resilience. In the case studies, you’ll discover:

• The importance of climate data
• How to integrate existing climate data as you develop different types of plans
• Ways to access and track local data for the benefit of your entire municipality
• Essential climate data portals local governments can access to find local climate projections
• Examples of how municipalities across Canada are responding to past and future climate impacts that jeopardize their communities
• Resources relating to identifying climate vulnerabilities in your community
• The role climate data plays in identifying risks and developing adaptation strategies

Grand Forks, British Columbia: Strengthening flood resilience

Find out how the City of Grand Forks is using climate data and state of the art flood models to guide their resilient recovery following significant flooding in 2018.

L’Islet, Quebec: Developing a community climate action plan

Learn about the community’s approach to identify how the climate hazards they are facing will change into the future, and how they are preparing.

Saint John, New Brunswick: Adapting to floods and storm surges

Read about Saint John’s concurrent community and infrastructure climate risk assessments, and how the city is working to safeguard citizens and services.

Quinte Conservation, Ontario: Enhancing community drought resilience

Discover how a conservation authority is pairing climate projections and condition monitoring to identify and prepare for drought conditions, and what the 18 involved municipalities will do when identified thresholds are exceeded.

Windsor, Ontario: Integrating climate change adaptation into municipal planning

Learn about Windsor’s approach to mainstreaming climate change into decision-making across the organization by implementing a council report climate lens.

Who is this case study series for?

This case study series was developed for municipal staff in small and medium sized communities who have positions as asset managers, climate change staff, engineers, planners and water/stormwater coordinators.