Flood Mapping Roles and Resources

The federal government provides funding for activities to advance flood mapping throughout Canada. Provincial and territorial governments conduct flood mapping projects and are responsible for addressing flood hazards. Some provinces and territories undertake engineering studies and flood mapping in-house, while others contract out flood mapping to private industry or delegate authority for flood mapping to other entities such as municipalities or conservation authorities. Updated flood maps are co-developed with, and made available to, provinces, territories, municipalities, and Indigenous communities while respecting Indigenous data sovereignty principles.

Provincial and Territorial roles in flood mapping

Flood mapping activities and flood hazard mitigation are the responsibility of provincial and territorial governments. To learn more about provincial and territorial resources, access an interactive map or visit the following websites:

Federal roles in flood mapping

The Government of Canada is collaborating with provinces and territories to complete flood maps for higher-risk areas.

Natural Resources Canada

Natural Resources Canada heads the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program and advances flood mapping initiatives by:

• Contributing to the Emergency Management Strategy for Canada through activities like creating databases of existing flooding events, flood maps, and flood data
• Providing real-time maps of floods and river ice break-up, which contribute critical information for emergency response strategies
• Producing geospatial data (example: elevation, hydrographic, and buildings)
• Conducting scientific research projects on flood mapping techniques and flood hazard awareness tools
• Assisting in developing flood mapping standards and leads the creation of the Federal Flood Mapping Guidelines Series

Supporting Indigenous communities

Our respect for Indigenous rights, values, and customs is a priority. Natural Resources Canada is working on increasing Indigenous engagement in the flood mapping process by:

• Listening to Indigenous communities

  In February 2022, we hosted 30 communities in Manitoba to understand what they want from the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program, flood mapping, and their preferred ways of accessing data. To learn more, read the Federal geomatics guidelines for flood mapping: Manitoba Indigenous engagement case study

  • More gap analysis discussions are planned across the country
  • We work with Indigenous partners to understand and respect Indigenous data sovereignty principles, including The First Nations Principles of OCAP®, and its equivalent for Métis and Inuit
• Creating tools to provide guidance for provinces and territories to properly engage with Indigenous peoples
  • Developing and distributing engagement guidelines for provinces and territories (coming soon)
  • Working towards a mandatory Indigenous engagement component in all contribution agreements under the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program
• Creating opportunities for Indigenous communities to advance flood mapping science
  • Launched Indigenous Traditional Knowledge Stream Grants and Contributions Program
  • Coordinating the First Nations Technical Working Group on Flood Mapping

Public Safety Canada

Public Safety Canada provides national leadership and coordination in Emergency Management, supplies Flood Ready information, and supports the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program and related flood risk management policy initiatives through the following efforts:

• Participating in emergency preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery, including providing financial assistance through Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements
• Advancing work on the Emergency Management Strategy for Canada and associated initiatives such as the National Risk Profile
• Leading the Senior Officials Responsible for Emergency Management for strategic coordination on emergency management in Canada
• Supporting in the development of standards based on the Federal Flood Mapping Guidelines Series
• Incorporating the latest scientific knowledge into all elements of emergency management, including climate change science and risk assessments

Environment and Climate Change Canada

Environment and Climate Change Canada supports the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program and the provinces and territories in updating existing floodplain maps and developing new maps by:

• Publishing real time and historical meteorological and hydrometric data
• Publishing climate change data and information
• Providing guidance and best practices for hydrology, hydraulics, climate change science and uncertainty, in collaboration with provincial and territorial counterparts
• Providing technical and scientific support in the areas of hydrology, hydraulics, climate change science, and monitoring
• Contributing to the Emergency Management Strategy for Canada and National Risk Profile activities
• Supporting the development of the Federal Flood Mapping Guidelines Series

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and Indigenous Services Canada

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs and Indigenous Services Canada provide funding for climate change adaptation activities in Indigenous communities. Their contributions aid with:

• Furthering the Federal Flood Mapping Guidelines Series
• Working with federal partners to ensure that flood mapping and related data are reliable and include Indigenous realities
• Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs support northern communities in climate change adaptation via the Climate Change Preparedness in the North Program
• Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs support First Nations communities in climate change adaptation projects, including flood mapping via the First Nation Adapt Program
• Indigenous Services Canada assistance to First Nations communities in accessing emergency services via the Emergency Management Assistance Program

Find out more

• Learn about Flood mapping
• Discover the Data related to flood mapping
• Look at the details of the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program
• Understand the Flood mapping types and process
• See the Floods and River Ice Monitoring in Canada

Reach out to us

For more information, please email geoinfo@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca