Source: The Conversation – Canada
Municipal governments are at the forefront of climate adaptation, developing plans and responding when disasters strike. But even though local governments are limited to their municipal boundaries, events like floods, wildfires, extreme heat and drought are not, often affecting numerous communities at once.
Adapting to a changing climate requires greater co-operation and co-ordination across different orders of government. While Canada has made palpable progress in terms of climate adaptation, a fundamental governance problem remains.
Local governments maintain around 60 per cent of the critical infrastructure most exposed to flooding, wildfires, heat, erosion and freeze-thaw cycles. These include roads, bridges, water systems and wastewater systems. Yet many of those municipalities lack the financial, human and technological resources to adapt to a changing climate.
In its 2026 progress report on climate adaptation, the Canadian government said it has dedicated more than $2.1 billion to its National Adaptation Strategy since 2022. It also cited 141 climate resilience initiatives supported by the Green Municipal Fund in 128 communities.
However, successfully adapting to climate change means accounting for the geographic scale of climate risks rather than waiting for each municipality to fend for itself.
As Canadian officials prepare to attend the COP31 climate conference in early November, they must consider how policies can be developed to support municipalities as they respond to climate change.
Canada is adapting, but unevenly
I study territorial circular economy transition in Québec where governance, infrastructure decisions and organizational models shape what can actually be implemented locally.
Territorial climate action is an approach that, first, reflects the specific characteristics of cities, regions and rural areas and, second, allows for co-ordinated climate policy between all levels of government.
The area concerned could be a watershed in the case of flooding, or a metropolitan area, where neighbouring municipalities must consider how their public health, electricity and transport systems could be impacted by climate events. In Canada’s North, transport and food supply networks that cover very long distances need to be adapted to a warming environment.
Several communities are testing practical ways to adapt to climate change. For example, Montréal’s Southwest borough is using a climate resilience tool to assess development. Calgary is assessing climate risks on water, public transit, roads and other assets. Mahone Bay, N.S., is using a living shoreline to reduce exposure to flooding.
While these projects are important, they cannot create a climate-resilient country on their own. According to the 2026 progress report, adapting municipal infrastructure for climate change will require about $5.3 billion per year. It also recognizes the persistence of inequality between communities, in terms of resources, data, tools and expertise.
Large urban municipalities have more access to climate analysts, engineers and planners, while small rural municipalities may have only a few employees responsible for multiple portfolios.
No level of government can do this alone
Municipalities have control over important levers like land-use planning, permitting and local infrastructure. However, the adaptive capacity of municipalities is shaped by fiscal, regulatory and policy frameworks established by federal, provincial or territorial governments.
Provinces and territories have jurisdiction over a variety of areas critical to climate resilience, while the federal government determines funding and determines national frameworks.
Other key entities include First Nations, Inuit and Métis governments and communities. They are rights holders and also knowledge holders. They are often leaders in climate adaptation, and their governance and management responsibilities go beyond mere integration into conventional municipal or provincial planning. This is why Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy explicitly emphasizes the importance of adaptation respecting and defending Indigenous jurisdictions and rights.
In 2025, bilateral adaptation tables were established between the federal government and the Northwest Territories, Yukon, Prince Edward Island and Manitoba. This was the beginning of Canada’s commitment to establish mechanisms for collaboration, including a subsequent partnership with Québec to advance shared adaptation priorities, as well as dialogue that opened these mechanisms to Indigenous partners.
Canada’s 2026 progress report aims to make this co-ordination routine and identifies several priority areas. These include clearer responsibilities, aligned investments, better climate data transfer and shared technical expertise, as well as greater regulatory coherence.
Canadian climate policy has focused primarily on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and has been doing so for several years. Today, adaptation raises a new question about how to organize our response so that communities continue to function under changing climatic conditions.
Rachida Bouhid does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/10/20/adaptation-policies-must-be-built-around-the-local-communities-facing-climate-change/