Climate Change Vulnerability of the Canadian Maritime Environment

• The different climate hazards that affect Canadian waterways and their users, and how this will affect the maritime industry and how they deliver services
• The strategies and best practices that can help Canada’s maritime sector adapt to climate change
• How other maritime countries like the United States, Norway and the Netherlands are adapting to climate change

Clear Seas worked with its research partner Dillon Consulting Ltd. to provide an overview of the threat climate change poses to Canada’s maritime environment and to identify strategies to help adapt to these challenges. A series of tools and frameworks designed to help characterize these threats has been created as part of the project and acts as an important resource for the people and organizations that rely on Canada’s oceans and waterways to thrive and survive. The study also presents real-world perspectives and maps out practical adaptation strategies to manage the effects of a changing climate.

In the face of climate change, the information and findings captured in this report will help support pro-active decision-making and planning efforts for safe and sustainable waterways undertaken by the Canadian Coast Guard and other governmental departments, port authorities, industry stakeholders, Indigenous and coastal communities, and others.

This project provides important context to help understand the extent of the challenges climate change poses to the Canadian maritime environment as well as to the organizations responsible for delivering maritime services. By identifying key threats and adaptation strategies, this analysis allows for the development of effective risk mitigation plans, as well as for informed decisions and investments in relation to climate change. This will help ensure the sustainability and safety of marine trade and other maritime activities in Canadian waters and beyond.