Resources

The Municipal Flood Risk Check-Up has been developed to support Canadian municipalities in better preparing for heavy rainfall, river, and coastal flooding. It is a self-assessment questionnaire with 50 questions designed to assess potential flood hazards (flood exposure), and implementation of actions to reduce flood risks (flood preparedness). The Check-Up helps users navigate the variety of existing standards, guidance, and tools available, and focuses on the role of municipal action at multiple levels: from the localized protection of individual homes to the management of flooding processes at the watershed scale.

Learn more here:
https://www.intactcentreclimateadaptation.ca/municipal-flood-risk-check-up/

This guide provides an overview of measures you can implement to avoid or mitigate impacts of extreme weather events that can cause flooding before they occur. When properly designed and installed, appropriate floodproofing measures will reduce the likelihood of flood damage to your home and can reduce the cost of repair if damage does occur. However, depending on specific conditions or variables (such as building location or topography), floodproofing methods may not guarantee your home will be completely protected from the effects of flooding.

Download the Guidebook here: https://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/env/pdf/Flooding-Inondations/Floodproofing.pdf?_ga=2.179187367.280899128.1774543913-16463129.1756832664&_gl=11c2ejta_gaMTY0NjMxMjkuMTc1NjgzMjY2NA.._ga_F531P4D0XXczE3NzQ1NDM5MTIkbzIwNSRnMSR0MTc3NDU0NDEzOSRqNDAkbDAkaDA._ga_X5V0H8WVKQ*czE3NzQ1NDM5MTIkbzIwNSRnMSR0MTc3NDU0NDEzOSRqNDAkbDAkaDA.

Sand dunes are crucial coastal features that act as natural barriers against storms, protecting inland areas from flooding and erosion, while also providing unique, dynamic habitats for specialized plants and animals like sea turtles, shorebirds, and unique grasses that bind the sand. They store sand, absorb wave energy, filter water, and offer important recreation and tourism opportunities, making them vital for healthy coastlines and community safety. Recent 2025 reports from the Global Center on Adaptation and others advocate for protecting and restoring dunes and marshes over building hard seawalls. These natural barriers are more resilient to the “stronger storm surges” observed in 2025.

A study published in November 2025 warns that almost half of the world’s sandy beaches could disappear by 2100 due to a “coastal squeeze”—a combination of rising sea levels and human development that prevents dunes from moving naturally. For beaches where sand was deposited thousands of years ago and is not replenished by modern processes, removing dunes for lawns, boardwalks or retaining walls means the sand is “gone for good”.

Some articles of interest:
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1106124
https://www.catchments.ie/sand-dunes-they-protect-us-lets-protect-them/
https://gca.org/solutions-for-vanishing-coastlines-adapting-to-coastal-erosion-in-small-island-developing-states/

“…every sector, from energy and manufacturing to agriculture, mining, and waste management, must decarbonize and adapt simultaneously. Nature-based solutions can do both.”

Read the story here:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/aminmirkouei/2025/11/13/nature-based-solutions-for-mining-and-waste-management/

“Defined as actions that protect, restore, and sustainably manage ecosystems, NbS reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, improve human health and wellbeing, and help cultivate economic stability. And they do so cost-effectively. The potential is extraordinary.”

Read the story here:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/billfrist/2025/10/20/nature-based-solutions-a-policy-and-investment-framework-for-a-healthier-planet-people-and-communities/

“There are key opportunities to support building more sustainable and climate-ready communities through increased use of nature-based solutions in developments.”

Read the story here:
https://phys.org/news/2025-09-canadian-cities-climate-nature.html

The NBEN’s BCA Tool for Nature-based Climate Solutions has introduced a new contribution feature, allowing communities to share local data. This initiative aims to enhance the understanding of the benefits associated with green infrastructure projects.

Read the story here:
https://nben.ca/en/resources/news-from-groups/2886-benefit-cost-analysis-bca-tool-for-nature-based-climate-approaches-nbca-launches-new-contribution-feature.html

In a recent EDF survey, a range of experts across sectors […] stood united on one thing: nature-based solutions are key to protecting people and property from extreme weather and believe there is a clear path forward to incorporating these solutions into building resilience.

Read the story here:
https://blogs.edf.org/growingreturns/2025/07/23/nature-based-solutions-are-essential-to-advancing-climate-resilience/

Boston, similar to Vancouver, is embracing “green infrastructure” through initiatives like rain gardens. These efforts aim to manage rainwater, conserve sewer capacity, filter pollutants, and mitigate flooding. The city’s Office of Green Infrastructure is transforming roadside grass strips—both at the edges and in the center—into bioswales, a type of “green infrastructure.”

Read the story here:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/what-on-earth-boston-green-infrastructure-1.7565303

Participation of citizens in NBS projects leads to innovation in design and quality, as well as people gaining greater benefits from green and blue spaces (for access, recreation and health and wellbeing), researchers found. However, the research [also] found that encouraging participation by residents and others, and experimentation may not necessarily lead to desired outcomes where there are also strong external (top-down) policy drivers (e.g. housing development pressures).

Read more here: https://www.miragenews.com/community-led-nature-solutions-boost-innovation-1468703/