Infrastructure is made up of the underlying structures that makes our country and economy function— and nature is one of our most valuable assets.
Indigenous peoples have practiced sustainable land management for thousands of years in a way that recognizes the interconnectedness of nature and well-being.
And in sharp contrast to grey infrastructure, which loses value over time as it gets older, natural infrastructure can actually appreciate in value and extend the life of grey infrastructure.
The first case study focuses on the Toronto Green Roof Program adopted in 2009, which included the first green roof bylaw adopted in North America and an Eco-Roof Incentive.
If all flat roofs across Toronto were greened, it could translate into savings of between $41.8 million and $118 million in avoided stormwater infrastructure costs.
The second study looks at the Calgary River Flood Mitigation Program and the Alberta wetland policy , and the role they play in protecting and restoring wetlands in the Bow River Watershed.
A 2014 Ducks Unlimited study showed that a 2 per cent increase in wetlands in the settled areas of Alberta would be a comparable cost to a dry dam, while storing 50,000,000 m3 of water and providing additional carbon sequestration, water filtration, and habitat benefits.
Increasing tree cover in vulnerable neighbourhoods can help cool the air and provide a refuge from heatwaves that are expected to become more frequent and intense with climate change.
In Winnipeg, the development of Canada’s largest urban Indigenous reserve—led by seven Treaty 1 First Nations—makes natural infrastructure and green space central to the new community.
The Canadian Institute for Climate Choices honours the caretakers of these lands and waters.