Climate resilience through stormwater management

Canadian Water Network (2023 – Ongoing)

Challenge

As Canada experiences more frequent extreme weather events, municipalities and utilities are struggling to build and maintain infrastructure that can withstand them. It is essential to ensure that our infrastructure, like our stormwater and drainage systems, is resilient to the effects of climate change and can continue to operate in the face of adverse conditions. To chart the path forward, Canadian Water Network is convening a Strategic Sharing Group that will bring together senior decision-makers from municipalities and utilities across Canada.

Project

The overall objectives for this Strategic Sharing Group are to:

1. Exchange knowledge among utility leaders on stormwater best practices, emerging research and funding opportunities that may help utilities build climate resilience.
2. Explore tools and technologies that members may find applicable in addressing climate adaptation within their utilities.
3. Address new policies or initiatives that may be developed after the release of Canada’s first National Adaptation Strategy and explore how these recommendations can be applied to stormwater management for water utilities.

Outputs

This initiative aims to deliver:

1. A Strategic Sharing Group on stormwater management and climate resilience.
2. Case studies that showcase the approach some Canadian municipalities are taking to stormwater management.
3. A database of existing and future stormwater best practices being undertaken by members of the Canadian Municipal Water Consortium.

Outcomes

The Strategic Sharing Group, case studies and the database of stormwater best practices are expected to provide the following outcomes:

1. A national lens on work being undertaken by utilities and municipalities to increase climate resilience through stormwater management.
2. Increased knowledge about emerging technologies, programs and collaborations that can help utilities and municipalities develop their climate adaptation programs.
3. Information about the Government of Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy as it applies to climate adaptation practices for water utilities.