Flood Preparedness in 16 Major Canadian Cities

Published by the University of Waterloo in February 2021, this report focuses on how the municipal governments of 16 major Canadian cities self-assess their efforts to reduce the severity of flood impacts on their jurisdictions and citizens.  From the report: The average score for these cities was a C+ with the highest score of B+ going to Toronto, Regina and Edmonton. Vancouver’s performance was found to be beneath the regional average in terms of its initiatives in the areas of Land Use Planning, Critical Infrastructure (CI) Risk Mitigation, and Public Health and Safety. In regard to Land Use Planning, Vancouver stated that it presently allows both redevelopment and development on floodplains, although it does require higher flood construction levels for developments within these areas. More concerning, Vancouver reported that British Columbia is currently constructing a hospital in the city’s floodplain.