climate change adaptation

Selkirk’s climate, like communities across Canada, is expected to continue evolving over the coming decades. Climate projections suggest warmer average temperatures, longer warm seasons, and changing precipitation patterns that may influence how communities plan infrastructure, manage municipal services, and support long-term growth.

Selkirk has positioned itself as a leader in climate adaptation and resilience planning and has taken a forward-looking approach to climate adaptation by integrating climate considerations into infrastructure investment, asset management, emergency preparedness, and long-term planning initiatives. The City was one of only 19 municipalities across Canada selected to participate in the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Climate and Asset Management Network, and the only participating municipality in Manitoba. This work helped inform the development of Selkirk’s award-winning Selkirk’s Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, which identifies climate-related risks and outlines actions to strengthen community resilience, protect infrastructure, and support reliable municipal service delivery over the long term.

Through this work, Selkirk has integrated climate projections into long-term infrastructure and operational planning, including:

• Stormwater, drainage, and flood mitigation planning
• Infrastructure renewal and climate-informed asset management
• Urban forestry and water conservation initiatives
• Emergency preparedness and extreme weather response planning
• Municipal facility and service resilience planning
• Workforce safety, public education, and community resilience initiatives

By planning for future conditions today, Selkirk is helping ensure reliable municipal services, resilient infrastructure, sustainable growth, and a high quality of life for residents, businesses, and visitors over the long term.