Coastal erosion: Quebec municipalities being left behind

People walk along the beach with Perce Rock in the distance in Perce, Quebec, Canada, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022. After devastating winter storms several years ago that officials tied to climate change, they replenished the pebbles on the beach and let the sea shape them into a gentler slope to help absorb the impact of the waves. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

QUEBEC CITY — Coastal municipalities in Quebec are being left to their own devices when it comes to coastal erosion, according to a recent report by Sustainable Development Commissioner Janique Lambert.

It indicates that most of the 24 municipalities of concern do not have a map that identifies areas at risk of coastal erosion and flooding. The Ministry of Public Safety is responsible for producing such maps.

On top of that, tools developed by the Ministry of the Environment to deal with the phenomenon are not available to all municipalities. Only two have been integrated into a platform that estimates damage caused by coastal erosion and flooding on their territory.

The report argues that few municipalities have the necessary guidance and financial support to adapt to coastal erosion and flooding risks.

It also criticizes the ministries for "failing to manage coastal erosion and flooding risks effectively."

According to the 2030 Plan for a Green Economy, if no adaptation measures are put in place, damage caused by erosion could represent potential costs of $1.5 billion by 2065.

-This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 26, 2023.