Building Regional Adaptation Capacity and Expertise Program

Although there are many climate change adaptation resources and tools available, organizations and individuals often lack the capacity to use them. That’s why the Building Regional Adaptation Capacity and Expertise (BRACE) Program invested in training, knowledge-exchange activities and practical action to increase the capacity of organizations, professionals, communities and small- to medium-sized businesses to undertake climate change adaptation actions.

Twenty projects were co-funded throughout the duration of the BRACE program (2017-2022). They targeted several themes, including infrastructure, forest and water management, and nature-based solutions. Project activities, such as courses, workshops, networks and internships, were developed to help engineers, planners, resource managers, recent graduates and others to develop the competencies (knowledge, skills and behaviour) needed to act on adaptation.

BRACE projects

Below is a list of projects funded under the BRACE Program.

Project	Objective	Select deliverables	Key audience	Province or region	Lead	Website
Building and Sustaining Infrastructure Resilience Through Targeted Climate Adaptation Training for Professionals in Newfoundland and Labrador	This project is building capacity among engineers, planners and municipalities in Newfoundland and Labrador to help inform planning and decision‑making activities that will make infrastructure more resilient to climate change.	Climate change adaptation case studies specific to professionals working in Newfoundland and Labrador Targeted adaptation training among professionals committed to integrating climate change adaptation into decisions, procurement and policy Decision-support tool for communities with limited financial and human resources Community of practice to enhance collaboration among diverse stakeholders involved in infrastructure planning and implementation	Engineers Urban and regional planners Municipalities	Newfoundland and Labrador	Memorial University	Building Climate Resilience: Incorporating Climate Change into Public Infrastructure Planning and Design
Natural and Nature-Based Infrastructure Capacity Building for Engineers, Land Use Planners and Environmental Organizations in New Brunswick	This project is working with engineers, land use planners and environmental organizations across New Brunswick to enhance the uptake of natural infrastructure and nature-based solutions in climate change adaptation efforts.	Public inventory of existing nature-based infrastructure initiatives Training on natural and nature-based infrastructure Regional community of practice to promote knowledge sharing and collaboration among stakeholders working with nature-based solutions Adaptation resource pathway for nature and nature-based solutions to help practitioners easily find key resources specific to their needs	Engineers Urban and regional planners Natural resource managers Environmental organizations	New Brunswick	New Brunswick Environmental Network	Natural and Nature-Based Climate Change Adaptation Community of Practice
ClimateSense – Leading Climate Change Training and Programs	This project is building the capacity of professionals, including engineers, health professionals, planners and recent graduates, in Prince Edward Island to understand and manage adaptation in their work.	Online and in-person training on how to incorporate adaptation into professions Internship program providing recent graduates with professional development opportunities in climate change adaptation Monitoring and evaluation team assessing changes in the adaptive capacity of professionals, interns and host organizations Province-wide climate change risk assessment	Engineers Health professionals Natural resource managers Urban and regional planners Recent graduates	Prince Edward Island	Government of Prince Edward Island	ClimateSense: Training Climate Leaders
Building Capacity of New Brunswick Woodlot Owners to Adapt to Climate Change	This project is building the capacity of foresters and forest technicians in New Brunswick to incorporate climate change adaptation in woodlot management plans, as well as the capacity of private woodlot owners to implement adaptation measures.	Silviculture prescription guidelines for private woodlots that incorporate climate change adaptation Training for woodlot owners, foresters and forest technicians on climate change impacts to forests and how to implement the silviculture guidelines Resource materials for forestry such as videos, case studies and webinars   Tool to track the number of woodlot management plans that integrate climate change adaptation	Foresters Forest technicians Woodlot owners Natural resource managers	New Brunswick	New Brunswick Federation of Woodlot Owners	Your Forest in a Changing Climate
The Adaptation Learning Network: Inspiring Climate Action	This project is increasing the capacity of professionals such as engineers and planners in British Columbia to integrate climate change considerations in their advice, decision-making and actions related to adaptation issues.	Continuing professional development materials and training Climate Adaptation Competency Framework ensuring individuals and teams have the expertise, knowledge and abilities to perform climate change adaptation job functions Climate change adaptation micro-credentials strategy Climate adaptation professional learning community for sharing and leveraging the expertise of professionals to build climate change resilience and capacity in British Columbia	Engineers Urban and regional planners Agrologists Landscape architects Biologists Science technologists	British Columbia	Royal Roads University	Adaptation Learning Network: Inspiring Climate Action
Building Capacity for Community Hydrologic Drought Response	This project is building the capacity of communities in Saskatchewan to manage hydrologic drought in the context of a changing climate, including impacts on water supply and quality through the development of municipal and community drought response plans.	Series of informational materials, including fact sheets, to explain the scope and magnitude of hydrologic drought on water supply and source water quality in Saskatchewan Community surveys to help communities identify their level of drought risk Drought response plans that are resilient to future climate conditions, developed with communities at medium-to-high risk of drought	Communities Watershed associations	Saskatchewan	Saskatchewan Water Security Agency	Community Hydrologic Drought Response
Water Management Capacity Building to Achieve Climate Resilience	This project is increasing the capacity of: Agricultural producers in Saskatchewan to successfully cope with climate change as it relates to agricultural water management Engineers, agrologists and applied science technologists (Qualified Persons) to help producers advance their drainage projects with considerations for future climate change impacts	Free online workshops for agricultural producers that provide an introduction to innovative agricultural water management solutions that will strengthen farm and ranch operations in a changing climate context   Introductory Qualified Persons Training course for professionals who assist agricultural producers in designing drainage projects that meet requirements for approval and are adaptive to the impacts of a changing climate	Private landowners Agricultural producers Water resource managers Engineers Agrologists Science technologists	Saskatchewan	Saskatchewan Water Security Agency	AgH2Onward Introductory Qualified Persons Training course
Climate Adaptation Leadership Program	This project is building the adaptive capacity of value chain stakeholders within different sectors in Nova Scotia — including agriculture, electricity, coastal parks, fresh water and archeology — to assess risks and opportunities, respond to climate change and integrate adaptation into business practices.	Risk, opportunity and capacity assessment reports for each of the value chains Learning modules for each sector value chain, designed to accommodate different stages of progress on adaptation Targeted adaptation capacity-building strategies for each sector value chain Case study to highlight the process-based approach to building adaptive capacity, including key project results and lessons learned	Agricultural producers Industry and business professionals Tourism and recreation professionals	Nova Scotia	Government of Nova Scotia
Manitoba Climate Resilience Training	This project is building the capacity and expertise of professionals (including engineers and planners), Northern businesses, Indigenous organizations and communities in Manitoba to address the risks associated with climate change, such as water management and infrastructure risks.	Suite of training and capacity-building courses enhancing climate knowledge and the uptake of tools and information that promote integrated engagement, networking and hands-on learning opportunities Capacity-building materials such as videos, guides, case studies, primers and a community of practice	Engineers Urban and regional planners Industry and business professionals Indigenous organizations	Manitoba	Government of Manitoba	Manitoba Climate Resilience Training
Fire with Fire: Braiding Indigenous and Scientific Knowledge of Fire Management to Enhance Climate Change Resilience in Alberta	This project is collaborating with Indigenous communities, scientific experts and decision makers in Alberta to inform innovative practices for wildfire management in the context of climate change, drawing on traditional and scientific knowledge.	Participatory videos and climate change adaptation workshops to train Indigenous community members Knowledge-sharing gatherings and networking opportunities focusing on changing fire regimes in the context of climate change Webinar series to enhance the understanding of the fire-related risks and of the fire management approaches	Indigenous communities Fire management professionals	Alberta	The Resilience Institute	Fire with Fire
Adaptation Resiliency Training (ART) Program	This project is building the capacity of professionals in Alberta — including engineers, planners, agrologists, biologists, landscape architects, accountants and environmental technicians —to integrate climate change adaptation into their work.	Training modules targeted at four streams: Infrastructure Community planning Watershed management Industry and business Training resources for all four streams, including videos, case studies, testimonial videos and webinars Network of young professionals in climate change adaptation	Engineers Water resource managers Urban and regional planners Industry and business professionals	Alberta	Government of Alberta	Adaptation Resilience Training
Scoping Priorities for Building Adaptation Capacity of First Nations in Northern Ontario, Including the Need for a Regional Adaptation Knowledge Exchange Network	This project undertook initial scoping work to assess priorities for building adaptation capacity of First Nations in the far north of Ontario, which involved engaging and guiding First Nations to develop, promote and implement adaptation actions and plans.	Engagement with tribal councils, First Nations and Indigenous organizations to better understand their adaptation needs and priorities Engagement with tribal councils to discuss parameters for collaboration related to future adaptation capacity-building work with First Nations communities in Northern Ontario Feasibility study on the establishment of a regional Indigenous adaptation knowledge exchange network	Indigenous communities	Ontario	Laurentian University
Incorporating Climate Resilience for Municipal Infrastructure into the Updates of Existing Atlantic Canada Water and Wastewater Design Guidelines	This project is focused on updating the Atlantic Canada design guidelines for municipal water and wastewater infrastructure to ensure they incorporate adaptation and to provide training for professionals that would use the guidelines, including engineers, planners and water resource managers.	Review of existing guidelines in other jurisdictions to ensure the updated guidelines incorporate best practices Updated design guidelines for municipal water infrastructure that incorporate climate change adaptation Workshops and webinars that target end-users of the updated guidelines, building their capacity to use the updated guidelines in their work	Engineers Water resource managers Municipalities	Atlantic Canada	Atlantic Canada Water & Wastewater Association	ACWWA Guidelines: Updating for Climate Change
Climate Change Adaptation Capacity-Building for New Brunswick Engineers	This project is building the capacity of engineers in New Brunswick to incorporate climate change adaptation into their practice through training and access to tools.	Risk assessment, adaptation and resiliency toolkit that includes tools and guidelines for implementing requirements for the federal climate target for infrastructure projects Training workshops targeted at practicing engineering educators and students Best practices guide for engineering education on climate change adaptation Adaptation resource pathway for engineers to help practitioners easily find key resources specific to their needs	Engineers	New Brunswick	Université de Moncton	Engineers in adaptation
Development and Delivery of a Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Training Program for Professional Planners in Ontario	This project is building the capacity of professional planners in Ontario to integrate climate change adaptation into their practice through the development and delivery of training on climate‑related issues relevant to the planning profession.	Training on climate change adaptation relevant to the planning profession in Ontario, including the development of supporting materials such as case studies Pilot of the training program outside of Ontario to build the capacity of planners in other provinces Adaptation resource pathway for urban and regional planners to help practitioners easily find key resources specific to their needs	Urban and regional planners	Ontario	Climate Risk Institute	Development and Delivery of a Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Training Program for Professional Planners
Professionals and Adaptation to Climate Change	This project is developing a training program aimed at increasing the competencies and abilities required to implement adaptation to climate change, particularly among engineering, urban planning and architecture professionals in Quebec.	Series of virtual training modules aiming to build capacity among professionals in Quebec and recognized as continuing education credits	Engineers Urban and regional planners Architects	Quebec	Laval University
Building Capacity and Resilience to Climate Impacts in Key Economic Sectors in Newfoundland and Labrador	This project is building the adaptation capacity of stakeholders in key Newfoundland and Labrador economic sectors — including fisheries, forestry, agriculture, tourism and mining — to integrate climate change considerations into planning and business practices within each sector.	Sector-specific and cross-sector workshops, presentations and webinars in order to enhance the understanding of climate impacts in each economic sector Climate change risk assessment report looking at risks and opportunities in each economic sector Sector-specific summary reports on results, lessons learned and recommendations for institutionalizing adaptation	Agricultural producers Industry and business professionals Natural resource managers Tourism and culture professionals	Newfoundland and Labrador	Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
Benchmarking Knowledge and Understanding of Climate Change in the Planning Profession	This project helped inform future efforts for building the capacity of planners in Canada to incorporate climate change considerations into their practice through a national benchmarking exercise on climate-related knowledge and capacity needs among professional planners.	National survey to better understand the climate change–related knowledge and capacity needs of planners in Canada to create a national benchmark Comparative analysis with findings from previous assessments and documenting the results in a report National webinars to share the results of the study	Urban and regional planners	Canada	Canadian Institute of Planners
Building Climate Change Adaptation Capacity of First Nations in Far Northern Ontario Through Knowledge Exchange and Collaboration	This project is building climate change adaptation capacity among First Nations communities in far northern Ontario by establishing a regional knowledge-exchange hub supporting climate change specialists within tribal councils, and producing workshops and tools.	Training for Indigenous climate change specialists to help them take a leadership role on adaptation within their respective Indigenous organizations Training workshops with participating Indigenous communities and organizations Climate adaptation learning materials, including Indigenous-focused case studies, videos, learning modules, webinars and radio segments Northern Ontario First Nations climate adaptation hub to facilitate knowledge exchange and sharing of learning materials	Indigenous communities	Ontario	Laurentian University	Up North on Climate
Accelerating Delivery and Uptake of Infrastructure Resilience Professional (IRP) Courses	This project is strengthening the knowledge and competencies that infrastructure practitioners, such as engineers, require to integrate climate-resilient approaches into their work through the Infrastructure Resilience Professional (IRP) program.	Improvement and updating of existing IRP course materials Online courses on infrastructure risk assessment, engineering risk management, asset management and climate resiliency, climate law, climate science and climate policy Evaluation system for the IRP Program based on the Climate Adaptation Competency Framework. Train-the-trainer courses for the PIEVC Protocol and engineering risk management course	Engineers Infrastructure Resilience Professionals	Ontario	Climate Risk Institute	Infrastructure Resilience Professional (IRP) Credentialling Program
Empowering Youth for Climate Change Adaptation Action	This project is supporting teachers across Canada in bringing the complex issue of climate change to younger students through the creation of K-6 learning resources and educating high-school students about green job opportunities related to climate change adaptation.	Video series featuring high-school students interviewing professionals who are incorporating climate change adaptation into their work Age-appropriate educational resources to help teachers engage students from kindergarten to grade six on climate change adaptation	Teachers Students Guidance counsellors	Canada	Learning for a Sustainable Future	Empowering Learners in a Warming World

About the program

BRACE was a five-year (2017–2022), $18-million initiative under the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change plan. BRACE topics were identified by working with the provinces and the cost-shared projects that were led by partners used a range of delivery approaches, including specialized training, internships and regional communities of practice. The BRACE Committee, comprised of project leads and provincial representatives, continues to promote knowledge exchange across projects and regions, shares lessons learned, and advises on gaps and opportunities to scale up adaptation action.

Funding opportunities

There are currently no open funding opportunities available.

Contact us

adaptation@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca