The Surrey Board of Trade was invited to attend the Federal Government’s National Adaptation Strategy update release on June 27. The Surrey Board of Trade is part of the Climate Proof Canada coalition, a national coalition of Canadian business representatives, disaster relief organizations, municipalities, Indigenous organizations, environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and think tanks that believe Canada must prepare for the present and growing effects of climate change through building a more disaster-resilient country.
“As members of Climate Proof Canada, we congratulate the federal government on the release of the first National Adaptation Strategy and Government of Canada Adaptation Action Plan,” said Anita Huberman, President & CEO of the Surrey Board of Trade. “We recognize the effects of natural disasters and extreme weather on businesses in Surrey, including the disruption caused by the atmospheric river that impacted Canada’s supply chain. However, this is a significant issue that requires a nationwide approach. One key aspect that demands the federal government’s focus is to provide complete funding for this strategy.”
Climate Proof Canada actively supported the development of the National Adaptation Strategy over the past eighteen months and was encouraged since the launch of the draft strategy last November by the federal government’s subsequent dialogue with provincial, territorial, and Indigenous governments and organizations prior to finalizing the strategy.
Canadians are currently facing wildfires, floods, hurricanes, wind, and hail storms which are all being amplified by climate change as identified, in part, in the federal government’s own National Risk Profile assessment. Climate Proof Canada advocated for targets to define the measurable progress needed to defend Canadians from these events in the near future. As an immediate example, this wildfire season is affecting Canadians from coast to coast with thousands suffering the direct impacts of either evacuations and/or property losses, while millions are experiencing the undetermined respiratory effect of inhaling wildfire smoke.
Now, more than ever, federal and provincial governments need to make a focused effort to fully fund the implementation of the National Adaptation Strategy so that we can make tangible progress toward the targets, better prepare for the present and growing effects of climate change, and build a more disaster-resilient country.
Climate Proof Canada Coalition Members
INSURANCE INDUSTRY
- Aon
- Aviva
- Definity
- Desjardins
- Canadian Association of Mutual Insurance Companies
- Co-operators
- Insurance Brokers’ Association of Canada
- Insurance Bureau of Canada
- Intact Financial Corporation
- Property and Casualty Insurance Compensation Corporation
- Sun Life Financial
- TD Insurance
- Travelers
- Wawanesa
- Zurich Canada
MUNICIPALITIES
- Federation of Canadian Municipalities
- Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence Cities Initiative
INDIGENOUS ORGANIZATIONS
- Métis National Council
DISASTER RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS
- Canadian Red Cross
PRIVATE SECTOR
- Canadian Chamber of Commerce
- Forest Products Association of Canada
- Genesis Resiliency
- Surrey Board of Trade
PROVINCIAL ORGANIZATIONS
- Conservation Ontario
ENVIRONMENTAL NGOs AND RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS
- Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
- Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction
- Intact Centre for Climate Adaptation
- International Institute for Sustainable Development
- Passive House Canada
- Smart Prosperity Institute
- The Pembina Institute
Review the details of the National Adaptation Strategy here.
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Anita Huberman, 604-634-0342, anita@businessinsurrey.com
