Educating Coastal Communities on Sea Level Rise (ECoAS)

Fisheries and Oceans Canada provided $161,000 via the Partnership Fund over two years to the Ecology Action Centre for this project on sea level rise. Climate change related sea level rise combined with increased development pressure poses risks to coastal communities in Atlantic and Pacific Canada. Over the past five years, Fisheries and Oceans Canada scientists have developed climate change adaptation tools including the Canadian Extreme Water Level Adaptation Tool (CAN-EWLAT), which provides sea level rise projections for Canada's coastline over the coming century and advice on how much higher to build coastal infrastructure to accommodate the projected rise.

The first three years of this initiative focus on collaborative sea level rise science and outreach across the country. A national website, www.sealevelrise.ca, was established to support the outreach workshops and continued collaboration with new partners.

The goal of this project is to translate existing scientific data into useable information products for coastal communities in Atlantic Canada so they have the knowledge to incorporate sea level rise into future planning for infrastructure and other coastal issues. Users include municipalities, and local port and harbour authorities.  Knowledge and data for this project will come from regional, national and international sources including Fisheries and Oceans Canada research. The outcomes of the initiative will be to: develop and produce a sea level rise information brochure and web page; present a workshop to engage and inform two coastal communities on the issue of sea level rise; and incorporate community feedback into the brochure, web page and workshop.

Project Number: MAR2016.14/2017.5
Year: 2017-18; 2019-20
Partner: Ecology Action Centre
Lead: Mark Butler
Ecoregion: Atlantic