New Online Platform Empowers Communities to Build Climate-Ready Infrastructure and Housing

Vancouver, Canada — October 24, 2024. Extreme weather and climate change are no longer distant concerns. According to recent research from the Canadian Climate Institute, storms, floods, heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires like those we witnessed this summer are costing Canadian taxpayers tens of billions of dollars annually in infrastructure damage. 

As a response to this new reality, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada is working with ICLEI Canada to develop an online platform to increase the climate resilience of communities and better protect the public infrastructure and services citizens rely on every day at work, at home, and at play. 

“As we deal with the growing impacts of climate change, this platform will help us work with communities across the country to support new homes and infrastructure that have minimal impact on the environment, while better protecting people, their houses, their businesses, and their livelihoods from the impacts of climate change,” explains the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.

Climate Insight launched at the 2024 Livable Cities Forum in Vancouver today. This launch marks the beginning of an exciting four-year journey of development designed with user feedback at the heart of the process. Climate Insight’s features, functionality, and content will continue to evolve to meet the needs of community housing and infrastructure professionals.

“Through our work, we are constantly hearing about the needs of communities—especially smaller communities that have limited capacity and resources and are confronting growing challenges related to climate change,” explains Megan Meaney, Executive Director, ICLEI Canada. “Climate Insight will equip local practitioners with the data and information they need to meet these challenges.” 

In particular, Climate Insight is designed to provide curated infrastructure and public housing information in one central location. 

“Climate Insight makes it easy to access trustworthy information needed to build low-carbon, climate-resilient housing and infrastructure,” explains Ewa Jackson, Managing Director, ICLEI Canada. “It also houses built-in features to provide curated information on risks, emissions, tools, codes and standards, and infrastructure solutions you can use in your community.”

Visit climateinsight.ca to start using the platform today and share your feedback.  

Climate Insight is funded in part by the Government of Canada.