This session explores key considerations all planners should understand about flood risk and resilience, drawing on lessons from across Canada. As the expectations for safer communities increase, climate change ramps up extreme weather events, and the national disaster recovery funding regulations change, there is much that planners should be aware of in order to better understand flooding in our communities.
Using an Emergency Management lens, learn why terminology, standards, and priorities vary by community, and discover how the legislative context and federal framework shapes planning for safer, climate-ready communities. Additionally, hear from The Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR), British Columbia’s lead coordinating agency for all emergency management activities, including mitigation, preparation, response and recovery.
Finally, learn about Dr. Melissa McHale’s (UBC Faculty, Vancouver) exciting research project addressing climate resilience. As a recipient of the prestigious $1-million Wall Fellowship, Dr. McHale’s team is partnering with the City of Kelowna and Indigenous knowledge holders to lay the groundwork for creating Canada’s first long-term social-ecological research site. According to the UBC Okanagan News, “through data mapping, land use analysis and local engagement, the project will identify where green infrastructure – like trees, shaded spaces and vegetation – can offer the most benefits: cooling hot neighbourhoods, conserving water, reducing wildfire risk, and improving community wellbeing.”
Our Speakers:
Amanda Haeusler RPP, MCIP
Planning and Engagement Consultant, Stantec
Amanda Haeusler is a Professional Planner and engagement consultant at Stantec with 16 years of experience working on innovative projects across Western and Northern Canada. Her work bridges public and private sectors, including working with First Nation governments, and focuses on creating meaningful strategies tailored to small communities. Amanda has also helped communities in AB, SK, YT, and NWT strengthen resilience to emergency preparedness through practical and collaborative planning.
Dr. Melissa McHale PhD
Associate Professor, UBC
Dr. Melissa McHale is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia (UBC), specializing in urban ecology and sustainability. She researches nature-based solutions for urban heat, ecosystem services, and social-ecological systems. A recipient of the 2025 Wall Fellowship, she also served as the Acting Director of the UBC Sustainability Hub.
Representative (TBA)
The Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR)
