Environmental Risk Assessment: First Application – Climate Change

Request for Proposal: Oct. 2009 Contract Start Date: Dec. 2009Completion Anticipated: Aug. 2010

External Work Awarded to Deloitte

By City of Toronto – Toronto Environment OfficeAt Cost of $350,000 plus staff time

Drivers for Action

• Protect vulnerable persons.

• Promote protection of environment upon which we depend.

• Cost avoidance:‒ damage from extreme weather;‒ credit & insurance risk rating of City & taxpayers.

• Evidence of due diligence by City staff.

• Council directive.

Project Context

• Project addresses two key mandated initiatives:‒ General Env. Risk Assessment (from Auditor General);‒ Climate Change Risk Assessment (from Council).

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Scope of this project

Phase 1: Develop Environmental

Risk Assessment process & tool

Phase 4:Geographical Information System integration & web-

enable tool

Phase 2: Tool application within remaining divisions: climate change risks

Phase 3: Tool application within remaining divisions:

general environmental risks

Step 1: Adaptation

process initiation

Step 2: Stakeholder engagement

Step 3: Policy

updates

Step 4: Local climate

change analysis

Step 6: Toronto

vulnerability assessment

Step 5: Risk

assessment & impact

prioritization

Step 7: Adaptation

options assessment

Step 8: Adaptationstrategies execution

Step 9: Monitoring &

evaluation

Climate Change Adaptation Strategy

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Project Overview

Project Purpose:• To develop organizational capacity towards a culture of environmental risk

management.

Primary Project Activities:• Development of a “screening-level” environmental risk assessment process &

associated electronic tool;• Piloting of the process & tool by assisting with climate change risk assessment

in two subject organizations:‒ Transportation Services; and‒ Shelter, Support & Housing Administration.

Project Outcomes:1. Provide consistent means for City to identify & assess env. risks;2. Enable City staff to prioritize risks & prepare adaptive actions; and3. Demonstrate climate change adaptation leadership for Toronto area

organizations.

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Project Scope

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Enterprise Risk

Environmental Risk

Climate Change

Risk

Risks from Extreme Weather Events

Residual Risks

Adaptive Actions by City Operations

Climate Change Risk Assessment Process & Tool

(screening level)

Developing a process for screening & prioritizing all environmental risks - first application will focus on climate change risks

Key Project Inputs

• Advice from staff in approx. 10 City organizations

• Advice from an External Advisory Panel of 10 experts

• Best available information on present & future extreme weather‒ Climate Drivers Study‒ Climate Change Science Advisory Committee*

• Knowledge of staff working in pilot organizations familiar with impacts of severe weather on their operations

* An ad hoc group co chaired by TEO & Environment Canada. Members are from Environment Canada, TRCA, MOE and 3 universities.

Timeline & Outputs

Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug

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•Benchmark leading jurisdictions CC Risk processes•Risk workshops with City staff

•Env risk policy•Process for env & CC risk assessment

•Tool development•Staff training on tool

•Risk assessment pilots

•Project reporting

Next Steps

Assuming decision by Council to share tool widely:

STREAM A:1) Legal agreement to eliminate liability of City2) Hand over to Province via Municipal Affairs & Housing3) Tool made generic for use by any municipality, with examples4) Training on tool5) Widespread application of tool6) Possible national & international use of tool

STREAM B:1) Form Working Group on Climate Change Adaptation for infrastructure

providers in Toronto2) Apply tool within above group

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