Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program

In Canada, many flood maps are not always available or up-to-date. Yet, flood hazard maps are essential to understanding a community’s risk to flooding. High quality flood mapping that is current and accessible will help governments, communities, and individuals understand flood hazards and to implement effective mitigation strategies to reduce the impacts of flooding.

That is why the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP) is investing in updating Canada’s existing flood mapping capabilities. In partnership with provincial and territorial governments, the FHIMP aims to complete flood hazard maps of higher-risk areas in Canada and make this flood hazard information accessible. These maps will inform decision-making in support of land use planning, flood mitigation, adaptation to a changing climate, resilience building, and protection of lives and properties.

FHIMP projects

Below is a list of active projects funded in part by FHIMP. Projects are grouped by activity type.

(Project names are in the language of the region and could not be translated.)

About the program

Under the National Adaptation Strategy, the Government of Canada is investing $164.2M (2024 to 2028) in its FHIMP to help Canadians better plan and prepare for future floods. The original FHIMP investment totalled $63.8 million over three years (2021 to 2024).

FHIMP is one of many measures the Government of Canada is pursuing with a view to increasing the resiliency of Canadians in the face of the rising frequency and costs of flood events and other climate-related disasters. These efforts avoid duplication of other federal flood mapping activities, such as First Nation Adapt. The FHIMP is complementary to initiatives including:

• Developing Canada’s first National Adaptation Strategy
• Implementing the Emergency Management Strategy for Canada
• Developing a National Risk Profile
• Setting up a Task Force on Flood Insurance and Relocation
• Providing funding for adaptation projects through programs such as the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund

Program eligibility

Provincial and territorial governments are the eligible recipients for funding under the FHIMP. However, they may collaborate with, and redistribute funding to eligible entities, such as:

• municipal or other local governments
• public sector bodies
• private sector bodies
• Indigenous communities
• international non-government organizations, or
• any combination of these entities

Historic flood programs

Text version

A timeline demonstrating the years different Flood-related programs have been active with brief descriptions.

• From 1976 until 1996, the Flood Damage Reduction Program (FDRP) was in place. It was a national program that created flood maps in over 900 communities and was used to encourage the use of land-use controls within these mapped areas.
• From 2016 onward, the First Nations Adapt Program (FNA) funds adaptation activities for First Nation communities south of 60 who are greatly impacted by climate change. The program provides support for community-led, needs-based, adaptation projects like risk assessments, cost benefit analysis of adaptation options, and flood mapping.
• From 2016 onward, the Climate Change Preparedness in the North (CCPN) program provides support to northern communities and organizations to help them adapt to climate change impacts through projects like vulnerability and risk assessments, hazard mapping, and adaptation plans.
• From 2015 until 2022, the National Disaster Mitigation Program (NDMP) was established to reduce the impacts of natural disasters on Canadians by focusing investments on significant, recurring flood risks and costs. The four streams of funding included development/modernization of flood maps.
• From 2021 until 2028, the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP) will be active. The program includes collaborating with provinces and territories to create or update flood hazard maps for areas at higher risk of flooding.

Reach out to us

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