Canada announces $34M for 141 municipal climate resilience projects

The Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) announced a $34.2 million investment to support 141 community climate adaptation projects across the country.

Made through the Green Municipal Fund’s Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation (LLCA) initiative, the investments will support projects that bolster community readiness and resilience.

“Canada’s climate is changing. Our government is investing to make these communities more resilient, so that people are protected from flooding, extreme heat and other risks. Building that resilience now is how we keep Canadians safe and keep life affordable for the long term,” said Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature.

Funding will empower local governments as they future-proof their communities to the realities of a changing climate. With wildfires, flooding, coastal erosion, heat domes, and other extreme weather events becoming more common, municipalities are finding themselves on the front lines.

The investment supports climate preparedness and adaptation work by municipalities to help them address these challenges. It will support projects that are designed to protect communities and critical infrastructure from increased climate threats – such as stormwater infrastructure upgrades, shoreline rehabilitation, and cooling facilities – as well as the development of climate-focused asset management strategies, comprehensive risk assessments, adaptation plans, and program design studies for adaptation financing.

“Municipalities across Canada are on the front lines of climate preparedness: protecting residents, safeguarding community infrastructure, and building resilience. Without proper planning and support, this work will continue to strain local budgets that are already stretched thin. FCM is proud to stand alongside the Government of Canada in supporting communities as they put these funds to work protecting the people and places they serve,” said FCM president Tim Tierney.

Launched in June 2024, LLCA is a $530-million initiative funded through the Government of Canada’s Adaptation Action Plan and National Adaptation Strategy to help municipalities across Canada build long-term climate resilience.

“This funding helps municipalities advance their climate preparedness – and it is a fiscally responsible investment.  Every effort we make to protect communities from the impacts of a changing climate is money that doesn’t have to be spent on emergency response, rebuilding, and lost economic activity afterward. It allows communities from coast to coast to coast to get ahead of the storm, instead of cleaning up after it,” said FCM CEO Carole Saab.

The regional breakdown of this funding is as follows:

Featured image: (FCM)