Flood hazard mapping too slow to support climate change adaptation

Press Release

2026 Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development to the Parliament of Canada on behalf of the Auditor General of Canada

Ottawa, May 4, 2026—A report released today by Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development Jerry V. DeMarco, on behalf of the Auditor General of Canada, concluded that Natural Resources Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and Public Safety Canada were slow to produce flood hazard maps to effectively support climate change adaptation and protect communities.

Natural Resources Canada funds map development and tracks the areas being mapped by its provincial and territorial partners, but it did not monitor whether efforts prioritized higher-risk areas. Many maps remained incomplete, and much of the existing flood hazard information was not practical or actionable for users. The department was not on track to make all maps currently in production publicly available by 2028, as anticipated in Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy.

Public Safety Canada is working to launch a public flood risk awareness portal intended to help people understand their local flood risks. The audit found that the design of the portal did not incorporate climate change considerations or permit information to be adjusted to reflect changing conditions.

“Climate change projections and easily available flood maps are needed to reliably inform long-term planning decisions, such as where to build homes or develop infrastructure,” Mr. DeMarco said. “Canadians face escalating risks and higher disaster recovery costs in the absence of up-to-date information.”

The 2026 Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Flood Hazard Mapping, is available on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada website.

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