Prepare or repair: How climate-proofing public infrastructure pays off

This report examines the costs of inaction in the face of climate threats to publicly owned infrastructure—and the payoffs of adaptation. It puts clear economic evidence on the table to help governments make smarter, forward-looking investments that save money and lives over time. Building on earlier provincial studies, this analysis extends findings across all public infrastructure types at a national scale, bringing together insights on infrastructure risk, fiscal pressures, and adaptation needs into a unified assessment.

This analysis has three parts: First, it estimates how much climate change could cost for Canadian public infrastructure repair and replacement without adaptation. Second, it assesses the benefits of proactive adaptation—how much damage can be avoided, how much resilience can be gained, and what return investments deliver. Third, it compares these costs and benefits using clear and accessible economic metrics.