Flood Risk Management in Canada's Prairie Provinces: an Analysis of Decision-Maker Priorities and Policy Preferences

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Social Science
• Policy Studies

Background:

• Flood risk management (FRM) is crucial for enhancing societal resilience to floods.
• A holistic approach to FRM, encompassing prevention, defence, mitigation, preparation, and response/recovery, is necessary.
• Policy diversity and inter-jurisdictional coordination are key to advancing resilience-based FRM.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the relationship between policy preferences of FRM decision-makers and the characteristics of resilient FRM policy.
• To understand how decision-makers' priorities and experiences shape their preferred FRM policies.
• To identify observations for advancing coordinated and diversified FRM approaches.

Main Methods:

• Multi-criteria analytical approach.
• Research conducted in three flood-prone provinces in western Canada.
• Analysis of decision-maker policy preferences and their relation to resilient FRM characteristics.

Main Results:

• Decision-maker FRM priorities are similar across the Canadian Prairies, but their preferred policies differ.
• Preferred FRM policies are predominantly resistance-based.
• Flood experiences and perceptions of flood risk significantly influence policy preferences, alongside administrative factors like cost and public acceptability.

Conclusions:

• Advancing coordinated and diversified FRM is essential for resilience in western Canada and beyond.
• Decision-maker preferences, influenced by personal experiences and risk perceptions, play a critical role in FRM policy implementation.
• Understanding these influences is vital for developing effective and resilient FRM strategies.