Extreme weather events can damage infrastructure such as roads, bridges, rail lines, ports and airports
The Government of Canada is spending up to $16.35 million over five years for the Transportation Assets Risk Assessment initiative, which focuses on climate risk assessments of federal transportation assets, according to a press release from the Government of Canada.
Much of Canada’s trade moves through federal transportation assets, such as the St. Lawrence Seaway, major ports, airports, and land border crossings. These assets are vital to the country’s trade and economic competitiveness.
In this era of rapidly moving global supply chains, they are part of a transportation system that must be reliable, efficient and resilient to various stressors, including climate and weather.
“Our transportation infrastructure is critical to the Canadian economy. That is why we are taking steps to improve our understanding of climate change-related risks and vulnerabilities. Ultimately, this will allow us to strengthen the resilience of our federal transportation assets,” said Marc Garneau Minister of Transport.
The government says climate risk assessments provide foundational information on what infrastructure components may be vulnerable to climate and weather-related hazards.
Asset owners can then use this information to identify and prioritize actions and strategies that can improve the resilience and adaptability of their infrastructure and operations to the changing climate.
This information will support investment and asset management decisions, ultimately helping to strengthen the resilience of these assets and reduce future costs and disruptions from impacts associated with the changing climate.
According to the government, climate change and extreme weather events can damage transportation infrastructure such as roads, bridges, rail lines, ports and airports, which can cause costly travel and transport delays and undermine the safety of our transportation system.
This investment supports the adaptation and resilience pillar of the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, as well as the Low Carbon Government and Modern and Resilient Infrastructure goals under the 2016-2019 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.
