NEWS RELEASE
Natural Assets Initiative Scaling Up Support to Local Governments as Partner of Federation of Canadian Municipalities
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 19, 2025
VICTORIA, BC – The Natural Assets Initiative (NAI) is scaling up its programs to help local governments better adapt to climate change through natural asset management, thanks to funding received as a Capacity Development Partner under the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation (LLCA) initiative.
Supported through FCM’s Green Municipal Fund, the partnership enables NAI to provide subsidized training and learning activities to municipalities across the country, helping them work with nature to increase climate resilience in their asset management and planning processes.
“FCM has been a critical partner in helping us scale up natural asset management to over 140 communities,” said Roy Brooke, Executive Director at NAI. “We look forward to building on this momentum, bringing natural asset management good practices to even more communities, and thus supporting the transition to progressive infrastructure practices.”
Natural asset management is an emerging approach that ensures that natural ecosystems and the services they provide—like stormwater management, flood mitigation, and water filtration—are understood, valued, and managed alongside traditional grey infrastructure.
FCM’s funding supports multiple initiatives that will help strengthen municipal climate adaptation through natural asset management, including:
- The Natural Asset Management Roadmap Program, which to date has supported over 80 local governments in developing clear actions to incorporate natural asset management in their strategic and financial processes, now accepting applications.
- A four-part natural asset management workshop series that will equip local government staff with knowledge and guidance on how to develop asset management plans that effectively include natural asset management considerations.
- A “Train the Trainer” workshop on natural asset management fundamentals for organizations wishing to build key concepts and good practices into their own climate adaptation training.
- Workshops to build natural asset management competencies among professional planners.
With the help of the LLCA initiative, NAI’s programs are positioned to support hundreds of local government staff, professional planners, and related public and private organizations adopt best practices and refine their approach to natural asset management. NAI is proud to be a partner of this program—this funding from FCM directly supports NAI’s mission to make natural asset management a mainstream practice across Canada. Local governments interested in participating in the Natural Asset Management Roadmaps program can now submit expressions of interest. Registration for NAI’s four-part workshop series will open in late spring.
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Media contact:
Emily Sharma, Communications & Engagement Advisor,
Natural Assets Initiative
emilys@naturalassetsinitiative.ca
+1 (289) 527 1927
About the Natural Assets Initiative
The Natural Assets Initiative (NAI) is an award-winning, Canadian non-profit that is changing the way local governments, watershed stewards, and many others deliver everyday services by improving the quality and resiliency of infrastructure at lower costs and reduced risks.
NAI’s team provides scientific, economic, and civic expertise to guide communities across Canada in identifying, valuing, and accounting for natural assets in their financial planning and asset management programs, and in developing leading-edge, sustainable, and climate-resilient natural infrastructure solutions.
About the LLCA initiative
The Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation (LLCA) initiative is a $530 million program provided through FCM’s Green Municipal Fund that aims to accelerate local, equity-informed climate adaptation action by supporting knowledge development and project implementation across 1,400 municipalities.
LLCA is funded through the Government of Canada Adaptation Action Plan and is a key component of the National Adaptation Strategy. LLCA is Canada’s second largest funding source helping municipalities adapt to the impacts of climate change.
