From structures to sustainability: a history of flood management strategies in Canada

Four principles are identified as being associated with sustainability - balance, ecosystem approach, adaptive management and teamwork. The evolution of flood management strategies in Canada is provided using secondary historical sources. The sustainability of flood management in Canada is assessed in terms of the nature and extent to which flood management strategies exhibit principles of balance, ecosystem approaches, adaptive management and teamwork. The paper concludes that while Canada's National Disaster Mitigation Strategy (NDMS) has made progress towards achieving sustainability, there are specific considerations that require further attention.