Implementation projects: Adaptation in Action

What we fund

We fund projects that enhance long-term climate resilience in communities in an equitable and inclusive manner. This funding is intended for communities who are already aware of their climate risks and know which projects will help them make the greatest strides in improving their climate resilience. 

This funding empowers local governments to implement equity-informed climate adaptation projects, with an emphasis on projects that provide low-carbon and nature-positive community benefits. 

What your project needs to achieve 

To qualify for funding, proposed activities must support eligible applicants to implement measures that reduce impacts from climate-related events and hazards. They should be:

• A new or subsequent phase of a climate adaptation project (retroactive funding is not available) 
• Capable of completion within three years from the date of grant approval 
• Eligible for required approvals, authorizations and permits (where applicable) 
• Developed and constructed to ensure that hazard sensitivity is not increased, is not transferred to any parties or to the environment (e.g., transfer of flood risk downstream, destruction of habitat, introduction of pollutants to the environment), and is not maladapted (increasing sensitivity to other hazards)  

Eligibility requirements 

Eligible projects

Eligible climate adaptation implementation projects could include:  

• Installing, retrofitting or upgrading public cooling/warming infrastructure (including natural infrastructure) to reduce community vulnerability to extreme temperatures (e.g., designated cooling/warming centres, cooling corridors, naturalized areas) 
• Incremental operations to use existing assets to reduce hazard exposure during severe events (e.g., running heating/cooling centres) over a period of up to 18 months) 
• Incremental costs associated with improving the design of a capital project to incorporate climate-resilient elements 
• Enhancing municipal service levels to respond to climate risks 
• Installing back-up power on critical infrastructure/facilities 
• Relocating municipal infrastructure 
• Installing, retrofitting or upgrading public structures or critical infrastructure for municipal service provision to reduce the risks associated with climate hazards 
• FireSmart-aligned vegetative management or vegetation-based wildfire risk mitigation activities 
• Installing, retrofitting or upgrading structural flood protection or stormwater collection works (e.g., sponge parks, flood conveyance works, pump stations, flood walls, flood boxes, debris catchment structures, jetties, detention ponds) 
• Dam, dike or channel decommissioning and floodplain restoration 
• Wetland restoration or construction 
• Rehabilitating important aquifer recharge areas 
• Installing, retrofitting or upgrading green infrastructure (e.g., rain gardens, bioswales, green roofs and/or permeable pavement) 
• Shoreline rehabilitation, including restoring natural shoreline protection through natural infrastructure, beach nourishment and/or bank stabilization 
• Slope stabilization projects that reduce the risk of debris flow, particularly in fire-impacted areas 

Eligible costs

Eligible costs are direct costs that are approved for funding, properly and reasonably incurred, and paid by the applicant to carry out eligible activities. Eligible costs can only be incurred from the date the full application is submitted until the date final reporting is submitted. 

Eligible activities

Risk-reduction activities under the Adaptation in Action initiative include constructing, modifying, or enhancing municipal or Indigenous infrastructure, services or lands to support municipal service delivery in a manner that reduces the risks of climate-related hazards. 

This funding is not intended to support future greenfield development in known hazard areas. Projects should focus on reducing the risks of climate-related hazards in relation to existing community composition, land use and infrastructure. 

This funding is not intended for climate disaster or emergency response preparedness. Projects should proactively address the impacts of climate change. 

For projects proposing eligible activities that involve tree planting: If the costs for tree planting exceed $50,000, a distinct application form will be required, as 50% of the tree planting costs will be funded by the Growing Canada's Community Canopies initiative.  

In addition to the criteria identified in the Eligible Projects section, Adaptation in Action projects must demonstrate that: 

• Climate risk reduction opportunities have been identified for at least one of the following impact areas: 
  • Improving community well-being; 
  •  Strengthening and protecting ecosystems/natural assets; or 
  •  Increasing resilience of physical assets/municipal services to climate variability and change. 
• Implications for equity-deserving and marginalized communities have been identified and consultation undertaken where warranted.