Building a new home or cottage near a waterway may soon become a lot more difficult in New Brunswick.
The province is creating new guidelines for future developments in light of this spring’s historic and devastating flooding.
Robert Capozi of the New Brunswick Climate Change Secretariat told Saint John council recently they plan to highlight areas where development should be restricted due to potential flooding.
“We’re probably going to have a no-go red zone because the risk is just too high,” says Capozi,” and another zone where yes, you may be able to build there, but you’ve got to show us how you’ve adapted to future conditions.”
Sea levels in New Brunswick are forecast to rise by about one metre between now and the year 2100.
The province has already made it harder for people wanting to rebuild on provincially-regulated land within 30 metres of waterways or wetlands.
“If there’s enough room to push them back on their lot, we are using that regulation to push them back on their lot,” says Capozi. “If there’s really no room for them to go back further from the hazard, we will recommend raising their livable area.”
As part of the province’s flood risk management strategy, every municipality will have to complete vulnerability assessments and adaptation plans by 2020.
