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Getting to knowImpacts on Housing

Flooded houses and streets after a sudden flash flood.
Photo credit: Adobe Stock by burnstuff2003
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Overview

Maintaining safe and reliable shelter for residents during climate events is necessary for public safety, community cohesion, and general well being. Climate events can impact the safety of being at home, either through direct damage to the building from fire, flood, or unstable ground conditions, or through safety risks and environmental impacts such as smoke, heat, isolation, or interrupted critical utility or emergency services due to damaged critical .


This page provides an overview of the direct (tangible, physical damage caused by a climate on infrastructure) and indirect (tangible and intangible secondary/cascading effects) impacts of climate change hazards on for many Canadian communities.

Direct Impacts - Flooding

Flooding Solutions for Housing

Direct Impacts - Extreme Heat

Extreme Heat Solutions for Housing

Direct Impacts - Wildfire

Wildfire Solutions for Housing

Direct Impacts - Permafrost Thaw

Permafrost Thaw Solutions for Housing

Indirect Impacts

References

Behrer, R.J. 2021. Heat has larger impacts on labor in poorer areas. Environmental Research Communications, vol. 3, no. 9.


Bakos, K,, Feltmate. B., Chopik,C. and Evans,C. 2022. Treading Water: Impact of Catastrophic Flooding on Canada's Housing Market. Intat Centre for Climate Adaptation.


Doan-Nguyen, R. 2024. "Scorched by history: Discriminatory past shapes heat waves in minority and low-income neighborhoods," 8 July 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/jul/8/discriminatory-past-shapes-heat-waves-in-minority-/.


Dong, H. 2024. "Climate change and real estate markets: An empirical study of the impacts of wildfires on home values in California," Landscape and Urban Planning, vol. 247.


Heilmann, K. and Kahn. M.F. 2019. "The Urban Crime and Heat Gradient in High and Low Poverty Areas. [Online]. Available: https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w25961/w25961.pdf.


Ma, L. and Yildirim, Y. 2023. "High Temperature, Climate Change and Real Estate," 5 April 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.haas.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/High-Temperature-Climate-Change-and-Real-Estate-Prices-Li-Ma.pdf


Organisation Mondiale de la Santé (OMS). 2024. Chaleur et santé. 28 May 2024.


Sheikhi, R.A., Javanbakhtian, R. & Heidari, M. 2025. Looting and antisocial behavior after disasters: a systematic review. BMC Public Health 25, 309. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-21285-7

What would you like to do next?
Explore the likelihood of climate hazards
Visit your location on the Climate Insight map and access a snap-shot of the current and future likelihoods of climate related hazards occurring in the selected location.
Complete a high level climate risk assessment
Complete an easy to use, online risk assessment tool to begin to understand the level of risk which infrastructure, housing, and projects may experience in a changing climate.
Visit the Climate Help Desk
Use the Climate Help Desk at Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities Canada to ask questions and get direct support on infrastructure and climate.