CRD identifies Greater Victoria areas most vulnerable to sea-level rise, flooding
As climate change is top-of-mind for many British Columbians, the Capital Regional District has updated a project that identifies the areas most vulnerable to flooding as a result of coastal storms and sea-level rise.
The report analyzes 221 areas for sea-level rise inundation. Most of the CRD’s coastline is elevated and the general risk of extensive flooding is low, but low-lying areas remain at risk.
“Like many things this year, a bit of a wakeup call to the harsh realities of climate change,” says Oak Bay Mayor Kevin Murdoch.
The most vulnerable regions are McNeill Bay in Oak Bay because of the gently sloping beaches, along with Saanich’s Cadboro Bay, Sidney’s Tulista Park and Roberts Bay, and Victoria’s harbour and Gorge Waterway.
“It’s a concern,” says Dylan Tanner, whose family owns property in the McNeill Bay neighbourhood. “I’d be a lot more worried if I lived in the South Pacific on some of the islands that are disappearing, but it’s definitely an issue.”
Climate scientist and former MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head, Andrew Weaver, says in the decades ahead, it wouldn’t be unexpected to see sites like Gyro Park periodically flooded.
“It’s not something to run to the hills screaming with,” he says about the report. “But in the longer term it’s a serious issue and the CRD has shown some prudence in taking steps now.”
Ecosystems at the Sooke River estuary, sites around Esquimalt Lagoon and parts of Island View Beach Regional park are also at risk of intertidal zone changes.
The report says more research is needed in those areas, along with sites near Metchosin, Colwood and Oak Bay, to better understand the effect of prolonged submergence.
“It is almost certain that without mitigative action, these sites could be irreparably damaged or lost to future generations,” the report says.
Oak Bay’s mayor says it’s important to be proactive on the matter. At McNeill Bay, the district has started the process of architectural work to mitigate some of the risks there. The years-long project could include changing the slope of beaches and adding off-shore reefs.
“We’ve seen this year with the collapse of highways, the cost of fixing things that are broken is much higher than adapting in the first place,” says Murdoch.
The CRD project got a $705,000 grant from the National Disaster Mitigation Program, which is funded by the provincial and federal governments.
The work is designed to be shared with the region’s municipalities and First Nations to help inform decisions and develop building guidelines.
Homeowners with property in a potentially affected area are encouraged to prepare. The CRD says coastal flooding depends on shoreline characteristics, proximity to sea edge and elevation above sea level.
For example, homes on a coastal bluff may be susceptible to erosion. Homes in low-lying areas could see temporary flooding or permanent inundation over time.
The CRD’s coastal flood inundation work also includes a second technical report related to the hazards of tsunamis.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE NOW Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
BREAKING Feds cutting 5,000 public service jobs, looking to turn underused buildings into housing
Five thousand public service jobs will be cut over the next four years, while underused federal office buildings, Canada Post properties and the National Defence Medical Centre in Ottawa could be turned into new housing units, as the federal government looks to find billions of dollars in savings and boost the country's housing portfolio.
Some of the winners and losers in the 2024 federal budget
With a variety of fiscal and policy measures announced in the federal budget, winners include small businesses and fintech companies while losers include the tobacco industry and Canadian pension funds.
From housing initiatives to a disability benefit, how the federal budget impacts you
From plans to boost new housing stock, encourage small businesses, and increase taxes on Canada’s top-earners, CTVNews.ca has sifted through the 416-page budget to find out what will make the biggest difference to your pocketbook.
Liberals aim to hit the brakes on car theft with new criminal offences
The Liberals are proposing new charges for the use of violence while stealing a vehicle and for links to organized crime, as well as laundering money for the benefit of a criminal organization.
Feds offer $5B in Indigenous loan guarantees, fall $420B short on infrastructure asks
The federal government is providing up to $5 billion in loan guarantees to help Indigenous communities invest in natural resource and energy products. But when it comes to a promise to close what advocates say is a sprawling Indigenous infrastructure gap, Ottawa is short more than $420 billion.
BREAKING Police to announce arrests in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist
Police say that arrests have been made in connection with a $20-million gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport one year ago.
Proposed class-action lawsuit against Shoppers Drug Mart alleges 'unsafe and unethical corporate practices'
Shoppers Drug Mart is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit by current and former franchise owners at the retail chain who allege parent company Loblaw engaged in corporate practices that placed them in an “irredeemable conflict of interest” and put patient care at risk.
Lululemon unveils first summer kit for Canada's Olympic and Paralympic teams
Lululemon says it is combining function and fashion in its first-ever summer kit for Canada's Olympians and Paralympians.