UBCM response to EC resolution: Climate Risk & Vulnerability Assessment

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NR41 Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Islands Trust 
Whereas the increasing impacts of climate change are requiring local governments to develop robust climate 
adaptation plans and policies; 
 
And whereas these adaptation plans and policies must be grounded in a detailed analysis of the unique climate 
risks and vulnerabilities of each local area: 
 
Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call upon the Province of British Columbia to fund and support the 
development and integration of climate risk and vulnerability assessments into Official Community Plan review 
processes. 
 
 
RESPONSE:  Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Municipal Affairs, and Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General 
 
The Province is committed to advancing disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, and is listening to what is being 
shared by local governments and First Nations through engagements on the development of the Climate Preparedness and 
Adaptation Strategy (CPAS), B.C. Flood Strategy, and the modernization of emergency management legislation.  
 
We have heard from communities that undertaking climate risk and vulnerability assessments is foundational to developing 
informed adaptation plans and policies. To support communities in undertaking this work and building their resilience, 
Emergency Management B.C. is providing $95 million to the Union of B.C. Municipalities to administer the Community 
Emergency Preparedness Fund’s Disaster Risk Reduction – Climate Adaptation funding stream. Additional funding may also be 
available to communities through the Local Government Climate Action Program, which provides participating local 
government with funding to be used for their climate action work, including the development of climate risk and vulnerability 
assessments.  
 
The Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy (CPAS), released in June 2022, is responsive to the climate events 
experienced in 2021. CPAS includes actions to improve data, build our capacity to understand climate risks, and form 
partnerships for collective action. Better understanding climate risks also includes advancing our collective understanding of 
how climate change will impact B.C. CPAS further commits the province to develop a provincial-scale Climate Risk 
Assessment, and Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (HRVA).  
 
The current local government legislation provides direction for the development of Official Community Plans (OCPs), with the 
flexibility to incorporate the results of any provincial, regional, and community level climate risk assessments and HRVAs in 
those OCPs.  
 
The annual provincial  Climate Change Accountability Report will track progress and public reporting on our understanding of 
climate risks for the province, actions taken to manage those risks, spending, and future planned action.

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