Disaster and climate risk and resilience assessments

Recent events, including unprecedented wildfire seasons, catastrophic flooding and extreme heat, highlight the importance of understanding and reducing disaster and climate risks, as well as enhancing the resilience of communities across B.C.

In alignment with the modernized Emergency and Disaster Management Act and the Climate Change Accountability Act, the Province is leading development of disaster and climate risk and resilience assessments for the province.

On this page

• Provincial Disaster and Climate Risk and Resilience Assessment
• Previous risk assessments
• Future assessments

Provincial Disaster and Climate Risk and Resilience Assessment

Building off the 2019 Preliminary Strategic Climate Risk Assessment for B.C., the Provincial Disaster and Climate Risk and Resilience Assessment (DCRRA) provides insight into disaster and climate risk at a provincial scale, understanding risks, how they change over time, and how they impact what we value over time. Along with the provincial geospatial hazard insights tool, this assessment provides foundational information, and an important step in understanding and managing risk and resilience in B.C.

The provincial assessment provides information on key hazards including:

• Riverine flood
• Coastal flood
• Extreme heat
• Drought and water scarcity
• Wildfire
• Earthquake
• A multi-hazard event

This assessment was developed in collaboration with First Nations. It was also informed by a diverse range of experts and perspectives across multiple sectors and demographics.

More information about the DCRRA's findings, data, methodology and engagement approach can be found on ClimateReadyBC.

View the completed DCRRA.

Previous risk assessments

The Province completed a Preliminary Strategic Climate Risk Assessment for B.C. in 2019, evaluating the likelihood of 15 climate risk events that could occur in B.C. alongside their health, social, economic and environmental consequences. This assessment led to a better understanding of climate-related risks in B.C. and helped the Province develop appropriate measures to address those risks.

The assessment found:

• The greatest risks to B.C. were severe wildfire season, seasonal water shortage, heat wave, ocean acidification, glacier loss, and long-term water shortage
• Other risks identified that could result in significant consequences included severe river flooding and severe coastal storm surge
• Nearly every risk event scenario would have major province-wide consequences in at least one category

Materials from the 2019 assessment include:

• Summary of Results (PDF, 5MB)
• Risk Assessment Overview (PDF, 250KB)
• Full report - Preliminary Strategic Climate Risk Assessment (PDF, 16MB)
• Climate Risk Assessment Framework (PDF, 1MB)

Future assessments

The DCRRA is a starting point for better understanding and reducing risks in B.C. The next phase of work will include:

• Additional hazards and more detailed assessment of risk and resilience in the province
• New hazard and risk information that can be accessed through ClimateReadyBC
• Guidance for regulated entities under the Emergency and Disaster Management Act to conduct their own risk assessments to inform their risk reduction actions.