Evidence of meeting #24 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was housing.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Ellis Ross Conservative Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
What about in terms of the relationship or the negotiations with the Americans?
Director General, Policy and Outreach, Emergency Management Branch, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
We are not there yet on that front—that is, for the flood insurance. I'm speaking about my program.
Conservative
Ellis Ross Conservative Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Okay.
Ms. El Bied or Mr. DeFazio, one of the topics we're talking about here is basically related to houses that are built in high-risk zones and how there is encouragement from insurance companies to not rebuild in high-risk zones.
When we're talking about building back better, is there some type of policy or some type of encouragement from your departments to tell communities or homeowners that they are in a high-risk flood zone and should perhaps consider not rebuilding there?
Director General, Policy and Outreach, Emergency Management Branch, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Thank you for your question and comments.
You may know that at the moment, Public Safety has the disaster financial assistance arrangements program, which is the main program through which people who have been impacted by wildfire or flood receive help. When the province or territory reaches its threshold, it puts in a request to the federal government to seek funding through that. Homeowners and families receive funding through that program.
That program was modernized last year and has been—
Conservative
Ellis Ross Conservative Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Ms. El Bied, I'm sorry. I'm time-limited here. The question was, is there a policy to encourage people who have suffered under these circumstances not to rebuild in the same zone that's risk prone?
Director General, Policy and Outreach, Emergency Management Branch, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
They are, in a sense. Let me just unpack that a bit.
At the moment, the new DFAA addresses that by having the flood insurance program. Once that is available, the homeowners will be responsible for taking action. So yes, the new DFAA would address that.
Liberal
Liberal
Eric St-Pierre Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Thank you all for being here today.
Mr. DeFazio, there's currently a private member's bill before this committee called Bill C-241, an act to establish a national strategy respecting flood and drought forecasting. I don't assume that you'd know about it. The private member's bill is an idea to develop forecasting to provide stakeholders with better information for forecasting floods.
Would such forecasting for better modelling to identify which properties or which infrastructure is most at risk be useful for Canadians? Would that be useful for CMHC?
Director, Risk Management, Strategy and Products, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Yes. In terms of running a reinsurance program, having as much information and the latest and accurate information would help. I think consumers having that information, too, would be helpful. The answer is yes.
Liberal
Eric St-Pierre Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Great. Thank you.
One of the reasons I ask is that a portion of my riding is Anjou in Montreal. Last summer we experienced some pretty severe flooding. It impacted a lot of basements and a lot of those homeowners are unable to rent out those units, which exacerbates the housing crisis that we're facing.
Maybe a quick question is this: Would this benefit the residents in my riding of Honoré-Mercier?
Director, Risk Management, Strategy and Products, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
I couldn't really tell, sir, if it would.
Liberal
Eric St-Pierre Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Mr. DeFazio, your climate change office has existed, I believe, since 2020, to realize the important work of climate on housing.
I'm curious how we balance the need for climate resilience not just for homeowners but also for renters. Can you speak to the importance of a lot of the adaptations for buildings for renters instead of homeowners? Is that part of your work? Do you look at the situation for renters?
Director, Risk Management, Strategy and Products, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
As part of my day-to-day functions, sir, no, I don't have rental programs in.
I am confident in speaking about the underwriting philosophy that we do have. When it comes to looking to put up, either through lending operations or through our mortgage loan insurance operations, we do take into consideration mitigation and having climate compatibility be available to renters, who we see as being the most vulnerable and low-income Canadians. That's so as to not keep them out of the market and so they have the benefit of having better mitigation for buildings that will last longer, so that they will have homes to go to. They will be the least likely to recover from a flood. For instance, if they can't inhabit the building and if elevators are flooded, what are they going to do? They have to rely on income or other sources, so...yes.
Liberal
Eric St-Pierre Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
I have maybe one last question for you, Mr. DeFazio.
Our government has a Build Canada Homes program. We're aiming to build a lot more new buildings. As a general question, as we're building out new homes, how do we build those homes to become more resilient to floods or fires?
Director, Risk Management, Strategy and Products, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Again, that's not my area of expertise. There are plenty of organizations, like the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, that offer information on how to mitigate at the homeowner level.
In terms of my daily role, I'm not involved in that.
Liberal
Eric St-Pierre Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Thank you.
Ms. El Bied, my colleague Mr. Ross mentioned indigenous communities. They are often severely affected by housing issues. Could you tell us how your department could better protect homes in indigenous communities from flooding?
Director General, Policy and Outreach, Emergency Management Branch, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
For indigenous communities, the issue touches on a number of aspects. I would recommend working with the Department of Indigenous Services to put in place the necessary measures for indigenous communities. That department is responsible for infrastructure and housing, and it is responsible for providing a number of services. In fact, I work with its representatives and we continue to work on other issues. We can continue to work together on that.
Liberal
Eric St-Pierre Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
I still have 10 seconds left.
Have you put measures in place for buyers to ensure that their homes are more resilient to the natural events we're seeing?
Director General, Policy and Outreach, Emergency Management Branch, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
The flood portal, which will be accessible to Canadians in the near future, will help all Canadians enormously. It will be education on a large scale, as all Canadians will have to familiarize themselves with this new tool and know the importance of using information.
Liberal
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Ms. El Bied, you talked about the costs associated with floods and droughts, and about forecasts.
I would also like you to tell us about the forecast for the financial resources needed for the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. If you can, please provide us with those forecasts based on the different scenarios related to disaster management.
In the scenario where global warming of 2.5°C would occur, how much would that cost you? It would just be a matter of clarifying it in the document you'll submit.
I would also like to know the following. You say that prevention is really important and that it is the foundation. Do you consider reducing greenhouse gas emissions to be a preventive measure in a way?
Director General, Policy and Outreach, Emergency Management Branch, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Yes, it is, in a way, as you said.
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
If there were one thing to do in terms of prevention to guard against future risks, would reducing greenhouse gases be the priority?
Director General, Policy and Outreach, Emergency Management Branch, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
I don't know whether Public Safety Canada is responsible for determining this.
