Vital Connections: Linear Critical Infrastructure and Climate Risk in B.C.

Critical infrastructure is the backbone to essential services. How can governments safeguard these vital connections?

If British Columbia is to prosper in the decades to come, climate resilience is no longer optional for its most essential infrastructure systems.

Vital Connections: Linear Critical Infrastructure and Climate Risk in B.C. examines how the B.C.’s critical linear infrastructure—such as powerlines, roads, railways, and telecommunication networks—is vulnerable to the risks ahead.

The report highlights four systemic challenges: gaps in how risks are measured; poor coordination across systems; limited access to data; and finite public and political support to climate-ready the province’s systems.

Read the full report ↓

A screenshot of the cover of the report and some of its pages, outlining the risks to infrastructure extreme weather can cause and the need for climate resilience

Vital Connections: Critical Infrastructure and Climate Risk
Experts discuss the risks and choices B.C. faces as its infrastructure is buffeted by a changing climate.

This report highlights practical ways governments and operators can better manage system-level infrastructure risk.

White tree icon transitioning into a group of diverse trees on a cobalt blue circle background, representing a shift from asset condition to service continuity in infrastructure planning.

Shift from asset condition to service continuity.
Focus resilience planning and performance standards on keeping essential services operating under stress.

White network lines with intersecting circles on a cobalt blue circular background, symbolizing interconnected infrastructure systems and shared data.

Improve visibility into system interdependencies.
Strengthen shared data and understanding of critical corridors, pinch points, and cross-sector dependencies.

White icon of a person holding a clipboard with arrows pointing toward three smaller figures below, set on a cobalt blue circle background. The graphic illustrates clear leadership and coordination across sectors to manage infrastructure risks when extreme weather and climate threats span multiple owners and jurisdictions, strengthening system-level climate resilience.

Clarify coordination for system-level risk.
Ensure roles and decision-making are clear when infrastructure risks span sectors, owners, and jurisdictions.

White megaphone icon on a cobalt blue circular background, representing public communication and awareness. The graphic highlights the importance of building public understanding of infrastructure risks from extreme weather and climate threats to increase support for long-term climate resilience investment and proactive infrastructure planning.

Build public understanding and support.
Improve awareness of resilience trade-offs to support long-term planning and investment decisions.

PICS gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR).