Federal-Provincial Climate Change Program Co-Funded Development of Water Balance Model Express
Preparing for Climate Change
In January 2010, the Honourable Stockwell Day, President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, announced a Regional Adaptation Collaborative led by the Government of Canada, the Government of British Columbia and the Fraser Basin Council.
The initiative, entitled, Preparing for Climate Change: Securing B.C.’s Water Future, is working to enhance resilience to a changing climate and the anticipated, related impacts on water and aquatic ecosystems. The purpose of the RAC Program is to support coordinated action towards advancing regional climate change adaptation decision-making.
From Impacts to Adaptation
The initiative builds on the scientific findings of the B.C. chapter of the report From Impacts to Adaptation: Canada in a Changing Climate 2007. This extensive national assessment identified current and expected impacts of climate change across Canada and highlighted the need for a regional approach to adaptation.
“We are all now faced with a dual challenge: first, to tackle climate change by moving to low-carbon economy and second, to minimize the adverse impacts that climate change is already having on watersheds. A collaborative approach is key to success, along with a frank acknowledgement that water is precious and can’t be taken for granted,” stated David Marshall, Executive Director of the Fraser Basin Council.
“This partnership will enhance the knowledge and tools for decision-makers across B.C. to prepare for climate change,” said the Honourable John Yap, formerly B.C. Minister of State for Climate Action. “The province will use the new Regional Adapation Collaborative to implement our Living Water Smart commitments and manage water resources and riparian areas with climate change in mind.”
Funded Activities
Activities include risk assessments, economic analysis, knowledge transfer, consultation and the integration of adaptation measures into planning and decision-making processes. Funding for the Water Balance Model was provided under the Community Adaptation category.
“The RAC Program funded implementation of our 3-year program for expanding the capabilities of the Water Balance Model for Canada,” reports Ted van der Gulik, Chair of the Inter-Governmental Partnership that released a blueprint document titled Water Balance Model for Canada – The Plan for the Future in November 2009. “In the third year of the program, we received supplementary funding that enabled the Partnership to initiate development of the Water Balance Model Express for Landowners.”
“The additional RAC funding in 2011-2012 made it possible for the Partnership to trigger co-funding from Metro Vancouver, and vice versa. We appreciate that the BC provincial committee bought into the vision for the WBM Express, as did the Metro Vancouver Regional Board.”
To Learn More:
To read the inter-governmental announcement, click on Governments of Canada and B.C. and Fraser Basin Council Helping Communities Address Climate Change.
To read a media backgrounder, click on British Columbia Regional Adaptation Collaborative: Preparing for Climate Change: Securing BC’s Water Future.