Record-breaking temperatures in 2024 and forecasts pointing to even hotter years ahead are prompting new federal investments to help Canadian communities prepare for worsening climate impacts, with the federal government and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) announcing $7.1 million to support 80 adaptation projects nationwide.
Canada experienced its hottest year on record in 2024, with national temperatures averaging 2°C above the 1991–2020 baseline. Extreme weather events — including wildfires, floods, and heat waves — affected millions of Canadians and drove insured losses to more than $9.2 billion, setting a new annual record.
Environment and Climate Change Canada forecasts that the warming trend will continue. Its latest global outlook indicates 2026 will likely rank among the hottest years on record, comparable to 2023 and 2025, and approaching 2024 levels. Global temperatures in 2026 are projected to range between 1.35°C and 1.53°C above pre-industrial levels, marking the 13th consecutive year exceeding 1°C above pre-industrial averages. Longer-term modelling suggests the 2026–2030 period could become the hottest five-year span ever recorded.
Against this backdrop, Environment and Climate Change Minister Julie Dabrusin and St. John’s Mayor Danny Breen, an FCM Board member, announced the new funding through the Green Municipal Fund’s Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation (LLCA) initiative. The investment is intended to help municipalities assess climate risks, strengthen infrastructure planning, and implement measures to protect communities from escalating climate threats.
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“Communities across Canada are on the front lines of climate change, and they need the tools to adapt and thrive,” said Dabrusin. “The Government of Canada, in partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, is working to help municipalities turn plans into action — protecting people today while building a stronger, cleaner economy for tomorrow.”
In late 2024, Ontario proposed the Heat Stress Act, 2024, designed to develop and implement a Worker Heat Protection Standard in the face of a changing climate that increasingly exposes workers to extreme heat.
The new $7.1 million investment will support climate adaptation plans, climate-focused asset management strategies, community-wide climate risk assessments, and implementation projects designed to enhance resilience. Of the 80 funded initiatives, 25 are located in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Projects receiving funding span all regions of the country. The Town of Hare Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, will receive $70,000 for watershed-based climate adaptation planning. The City of Barrie, Ontario, will receive $696,220 to address erosion and slope stabilization at Hurst Bridge. The City of Vancouver will receive $600,000 to implement heat mitigation and air purification measures at four non-market housing buildings, while the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, will receive $70,000 to assess and address local climate vulnerabilities.
Municipalities are increasingly grappling with climate-related threats, including coastal erosion, severe storms, flooding, and extreme heat, which endanger public safety, damage infrastructure, and disrupt local economies. Federal and municipal leaders say the LLCA initiative is designed to help communities anticipate these risks and reduce long-term recovery costs.
“Climate change is already impacting Canadian communities—threatening homes, disrupting critical infrastructure, and putting lives at risk,” said Rebecca Bligh, president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. “Through the Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation initiative, we’re ensuring municipalities have the tools and knowledge to protect their residents, preserve essential services, and build stronger communities.”
The funding supports Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy and builds on more than $6.6 billion in federal adaptation investments since 2015, including $2.1 billion committed since fall 2022. Officials say the latest investment will help local governments develop targeted strategies to protect residents and infrastructure as climate risks intensify across the country.
