Quispamsis Adapts Climate Change Adaptation Plan

Quispamsis now has a plan to help deal with the future climate change impacts on the town and its residents.

ACAP Saint John presented the town’s climate change adaptation plan to councillors this past week.

The plan takes a look at specific climate change risks for the town and identifies actions to help mitigate those risks.

Bailey Brogan, climate change coordinator with ACAP Saint John, said they identified several “priority” risks, including higher riverine flooding and increased storm events, and ranked their impacts from low to extreme.

“There were no actions that resulted in the extreme or high rating, which is a good thing for the town, but it also highlights that this is an opportunity to take action now before climate change worsens and it could change that risk rating for certain impacts in the town,” Brogan said.

ACAP Saint John identified 48 action items to help increase climate resiliency in the town. They include restricting development near flood-prone areas, raising roadways in areas impacted by spring freshet, and identifying alternate routes for transportation when emergency routes are cut off.

The action items were divided into four categories: modifying policies, plans and procedures; building or infrastructure upgrades; improving community awareness and public education; and building resilience to climate impacts.

“Medium-high risks are the most severe and should be addressed first,” said Brogan, “but medium risk can be incorporated into routine maintenance and operations or it can be determined when the urgency of the climate impact arrises.”

No specific costs were given for each of the 48 action items, but the plan suggests they could range from less than $20,000 to more than $1 million each.

Council voted to adopt the plan and delegate the action items to the town’s climate change committee.