NATALIA MOUDRAK AND DR. BLAIR FELTMATE
INTACT CENTRE ON CLIMATE ADAPTATION JANUARY 2019
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In recent years, the financial and social costs of natural catastrophes in Canada have escalated beyond historical levels. Residential flooding has been a key driver behind this trend, which has led to upward pressure on residential insurance premiums, mental health stress for homeowners impacted by flooding, potential increases in residential mortgage defaults, and lawsuits directed to builders and municipalities that fail in their fiduciary duty to anticipate and mitigate flood risk. Fortunately, a range of practical solutions can be deployed to reduce and limit risk of flooding across a variety of circumstances. These include proactive maintenance of flood control structures, re-grading of lots and roadways, constructing new or upgrading stormwater storage facilities, and many other measures (Table 1). Public engagement and education programs on flood prevention and maintenance activities can also drive the uptake of flood-resilience initiatives in existing communities, particularly for “lower cost” solutions that depend on homeowner participation and support.