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.
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