The Canadian Climate Institute has just released a report highlighting the risks of building without adequate measures to prevent exposure to floods and wildfires. Failure to account for climate hazards could cost Canadians up to $billion annually in damages.
Close to Home: How to build more housing in a changing climate describes actions all levels of government can take to prevent these damages. The modelling by Sustainable Solutions Group (SSG) demonstrates that redirecting just 3% of homes targeted for construction by 2030 away from these hazardous zones can reduce Canada’s flood risk by nearly 80%.
We need targeted action by insurance companies to refuse to insure housing on flood plains and to put pressure on developers to stop building on floodplains.
