Halifax's Practical Solutions to Real Issues: Examples from the Field

Like all Canadian municipalities, Halifax is facing increasing climate change-related threats that pose multiple risks to its communities, its environment and its economy – now and into the future. Spanning 2,400 km from... [ view full abstract ]

Like all Canadian municipalities, Halifax is facing increasing climate change-related threats that pose multiple risks to its communities, its environment and its economy – now and into the future. Spanning 2,400 km from east to west, Halifax’s populated and economically important Atlantic coastline helps to focus attention on coastal zone assets and their vulnerabilities to threats including accelerated sea-level rise (SLR), more frequent storm surges and coastal flooding, more frequent severe weather events, and changing coastal groundwater quality, coupled with more frequent damage to property, roads and other public infrastructure, and increased disruption to critical utilities. To tackle these coastal zone challenges and their interactions, Halifax has undertaken efforts to adapt through protection, accommodation and managed retreat, in addition to educating the public. These efforts have included publication of community- and developer-focused climate change action guides; engagement of Emergency Management professionals and community volunteers in identifying and preparing for coastal zone vulnerabilities and risks; collaborating with coastal communities to map climate hazards and vulnerabilities; identifying flood-prone areas and infrastructure throughout the municipality; developing SLR scenarios and risk assessments for Halifax Harbour using LiDAR data; expanding LiDAR datasets to model SLR and coastal flood risks for the entire municipality; and, developing by-laws and priority planning strategies to promote coastal zone adaptation and ecosystem protection. This poster will address the Engagement and Collaboration subtheme and will highlight Halifax’s progress in a concise, spatially-explicit manner, using engaging visuals to illustrate the city’s practical solutions to real climate change issues.