The City of St. John’s is launching community engagement as part of a Climate Risk Assessment to better understand the risks facing our communities, infrastructure and services.

“Good planning starts with good information,” said Councillor Sandy Hickman, lead for sustainability. “This assessment will help us build a clearer picture of the risks facing our community and where we may need to focus our efforts. By combining technical data with local knowledge and experience, we can make better-informed decisions about how to prepare for the future.”

Climate change is increasing the risk of hazards such as flooding, coastal storms, extreme heat, wildfire, ice storms, and heavy snow. With funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the City is bringing together information on hazards, neighbourhoods, critical infrastructure, emergency preparedness and community vulnerabilities. This will create a clearer picture of where risks exist and who may be most affected.

Community input is an important part of understanding these risks. Technical data helps identify where risks may exist, but local experience can provide information that may not be captured in the data. Feedback from residents, community organizations and partners will help validate the findings and identify local concerns.

There are several ways to provide feedback, including an online survey and mapping tool at EngageStJohns.ca. Feedback can also be provided by email at engage@stjohns.ca or by calling 311 or 709- 754-CITY (2489) and asking to speak with a member of the project team. Phase one of Public Engagement will remain open until November 27, 2026, with additional engagement opportunities to be provided in the winter of 2027 following a report on the first phase of engagement.

The City will also meet with its Advisory Committees, community organizations and other interested parties throughout the process.

The project builds on the City's Resilient St. John’s Climate Plan and supports the City's goal of being a Sustainable City by helping inform long-term planning and decisions.

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