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Floods

Introduction

Flooding is a natural occurrence, with impacts that affect Canadians across the country.

All levels of government play a role in mitigating the risks.

In Canada, the provinces and territories are mandated to manage natural resources within their provincial or territorial boundaries, including surface water (lakes, rivers, streams).

Environment and Climate Change Canada supports provinces and territories by providing:

This support helps inform decision-making on provincial and territorial water management, flood mitigation, and emergency management activities.

In a flood situation, Environment and Climate Change Canada is responsible for providing weather forecasts, including precipitation warnings, and information on water levels and flows across Canada. Provinces and territories use this information to:

Learn more about provincial and territorial flood resources.

Explore flood information

Find out about the causes and costs of flooding, measures to reduce flood damage, and some of the major flood events in Canada.

Regional flood resources

Learn about floods and associated risks in your province or territory.

Management of transboundary water

The federal government works in partnership with provinces, territories and other jurisdictions to manage transboundary waters that span provincial and territorial boundaries as well as the international border shared with the United States.  Transboundary waters are natural water features (rivers, lakes) and the areas of land that drain into them, known as a watershed, that span provincial, territorial, and international borders. Transboundary waters are often overseen by boards that work in collaboration with various stakeholders within the basin to manage and protect the shared waters in consideration of all interests, including those impacted by flooding. The boards are composed in whole or in part, of members appointed by the federal, provincial, and/or territorial government(s) and are supported by federal government staff and resources for administrative and technical purposes.

Learn more about transboundary water resources and management in your province or territory.

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