December 18, 2025

The Government of Canada is supporting the Northwest Territories to strengthen its climate resilience

News Release

December 18, 2025 – Hay River, NWT

The Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities have announced a $70,000 investment through the Green Municipal Fund’s Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation (LLCA) towards a project in Hay River, Northwest Territories. Through this funding, the Town of Hay River will be able to develop a Climate Adaptation Plan.

This is part of a broader investment of approximately $5.2 million for 70 projects in 70 municipalities across Canada. These projects will strengthen climate resilience through the creation of climate adaptation plans, climate-focused asset management strategies, and community-wide climate risk assessments.

Communities across Canada are feeling the impacts of climate change right now—from increased flooding to severe storms and devastating wildfires. These events demonstrate the need to act quickly to make our communities more livable, resilient, and better-prepared for the impacts of climate change. The Government of Canada is building a clean, low-carbon, resilient economy supported by infrastructure that promotes healthy, affordable living; strengthens economic sustainability and protects Canadian homes and businesses.

In partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, this investment supports local governments’ long-term, proactive climate planning, skills development, and project implementation, while ensuring equitable access to resources—all as part of Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy.

Building climate resilience is economically smart, fiscally responsible, and essential to protecting our communities. Working closely with local governments and municipalities to reduce risk from the changing climate will keep Canadians safer and healthier today and for years to come.

Quotes

“Municipalities across Canada are on the front lines of responding to the realities of climate change. The Government of Canada, in partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, is stepping up to help communities tackle both today’s challenges and tomorrow’s risks. Through smart investments, proactive planning, and strong collaboration, we can build a sustainable economy and create communities that are more resilient against the impacts of climate change, and prosperous for generations to come.”

– The Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

“Communities across Canada are taking steps to safeguard the wellbeing of their communities in the face of growing and intensifying climate impacts. Investment in initiatives through the Green Municipal Fund empower local leaders to make climate risk assessments and adaptation strategies into decisive climate action.”

– Rebecca Bligh, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities

"Across the North, places like Hay River are on the front lines of climate change. Our government is proud to partner with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to help ensure communities are equipped with the resources they need to plan for the future. Together, we’re building stronger, more resilient communities and keeping each other safe.”

– The Honourable Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories”

Quick facts

The Green Municipal Fund manages approximately $2.4 billion in programs funded by the Government of Canada to support municipal environmental priorities, including the new $530 million investment in community-based adaptation initiatives launched in November 2024.
The $530 million investment was part of the over $2 billion in new federal funding commitments to help protect communities from coast to coast to coast and to prepare for climate change under the National Adaptation Strategy.
Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy lays out goals, objectives and targets to reduce the risks associated with climate-related disasters, improve health outcomes, protect nature and biodiversity, build and maintain resilient infrastructure, and support a strong economy and workers.
To support the Strategy, the Government of Canada Adaptation Action Plan outlines what the federal government is doing to prepare for climate change. It highlights over 70 actions across 22 departments and agencies to help meet Canada’s adaptation goals and address climate change risks facing Canadians.
The Government of Canada has invested more than $6.6 billion in adaptation since 2015. This includes $2.1 billion in commitments since fall 2022 to implement the National Adaptation Strategy and support other adaptation-related activities.
Canada’s annual nationwide temperature for 2024 was the highest on record, 2.0°C above the 1991–2020 average. Extreme weather events impacted millions of Canadians in 2024, resulting in fatalities and causing destruction to property and resulting in a new all-time annual record in insured losses of over $8.5 billion.

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