Integrating Adaptation into Codes and Standards for Northern Infrastructure

2011-11-29

The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) is pleased to be leading the Northern Infrastructure Standardization Initiative with support from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC).

Northern infrastructure is vulnerable to climate change impacts, such as permafrost degradation, coastal erosion, changes to temperature and precipitation patterns. Currently, however, limited consideration of these impacts is given when designing new infrastructure, or repairing existing infrastructure. Northerners need to have access to key tools that will enable them to adapt infrastructure to these changing conditions.

The key activities under this initiative include:

• creating a means of coordinating the federal departments and agencies engaged in Northern infrastructure to ensure consistency and coherence in adapting this infrastructure to deal with climate change;
• establishing a Northern Advisory Committee that brings together users and practitioners involved in Northern infrastructure issues, including the development of codes and standards;
• identifying gaps and needs in existing codes, standards and related instruments supporting Northern infrastructure, in light of climate change;
• building on the work initiated by the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE) and published in the True North report regarding categories of critical infrastructure affected by climate change;
• creating a framework and guidelines for dealing with those that need attention on a priority basis;
• working to build the capacity to support the implementation of these new guidelines by affected jurisdictions; and
• starting the process of integrating new guidelines into existing standards, and developing new standards that reflect the unique circumstances of Canada’s North.

For more information regarding this initiative, please contact Kelly Montgomery, Program Manager, Standardization Policy, at [email protected].

Related information

• CBC News: Thawing permafrost sinks buildings, hikes costs in North
• CBC News Special Report: The Big Fix – a look at Canada's crumbling infrastructure and what's needed to repair it