Infrastructure In Canada Threatened By Climate Change

"The documents, sent to the senior levels of Transport and Infrastructure Canada late in 2006 and early in 2007, warned that water resources were particularly vulnerable to changes in the climate and urged the government to offer more support, guidance and leadership to help Canada's cities and communities.

The reports explained that extreme weather and rising temperatures would threaten infrastructure that was not designed for the full range of changes in the climate. It also warned that many cities were ill-prepared to tackle the problem.

'Water infrastructure is perhaps the most vulnerable of all types of infrastructure to climate change, and the importance of water to human health, the economy and the environment also makes it one of the most critical types of infrastructure. Furthermore, this type of infrastructure has the potential to suffer the greatest damages or losses associated with climate change unless proactive adaptation actions are taken,' reads an internal report, prepared by Infrastructure Canada's Research and Analysis division, titled Adapting Infrastructure to Climate Change in Canada's Cities and Communities."