Developing Community Resilience for Climate Adaptation in Toronto, Ontario

Climate change is here and will get worse. The City of Toronto must adapt to the forecasted circumstances and prepare its communities to withstand the incoming stresses and shocks. This research paper provides policy recommendations to the City of Toronto that would build the adaptive capacity and community resilience of its neighbourhoods to better withstand the impacts of climate change. It recognizes the value of a hybrid between bottom-up and top-down approaches that includes local residents while aiming toward goals set by the city. It utilizes a literature review of relevant theory and an analysis of Toronto’s existing climate policy to distinguish where the recommendations could contribute value. A case study on Rotterdam, Netherlands, a leader in climate adaptation, and interviews with industry professionals provided insights on policies that the City of Toronto could pursue to improve its adaptation efforts. The two recommendations include the development of neighbourhood resilience plans to increase community adaptive capacity and resilience, as well as a resilience assessment in Toronto’s development review process. Each recommendation would address existing vulnerabilities in communities and would improve access to resources that aid residents during periods of stress and shocks.