CANADA: Transport Canada has issued the first call for proposals under the Climate Change & Adaptation to Extreme Weather Infrastructure initiative.
Funding of up to C$10·5m is available in the next year to increase rail’s resilience to extreme weather events, repair damage resulting from such events and advance measures to address climate change.
The call for proposals on November 24 follows the announcement in July of a Rail Climate Change Adaptation programme, which will provide railways with up to C$2·2m in co-funding to support innovations to understand and address the risks and impacts of climate change.
Transport Canada said wildfires in July 2021 reduced rail operations by 30%, representing around C$163m per day in terms of blocked shipment value, while flooding in November 2021 hindered the movement of goods estimated at more than C$170m per day owing to lost rail capacity and increased congestion at the port of Vancouver.
‘We must take immediate action to protect our planet from climate change’, said Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra on November 24. ‘Our government will continue to invest in measures which address the impacts of climate change.’
