Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF)
The Disaster Mitigation and Adaption Fund (DMAF) is a national, competitive, and merit-based contribution program intended to support public infrastructure projects designed to mitigate current and future climate-related risks and disasters triggered by climate change, such as floods, wildland fires, droughts and seismic events.
Offered by Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada
Amount
Up to 50% for provinces; up to 40% for municipalities and not-for-profit organizations in provinces; up to 75% for territories; up to 100% for Indigenous Recipients; up to 25% for for-profit private sector organizations, of the total eligible expenditures per project
Quick eligibility check
Who can apply
Eligible Applicants include:
- A province or territory; or a municipal or regional government established by – or under – provincial or territorial statute;
- A public sector body that is established by – or under – provincial or territorial statute or by regulation; or is wholly-owned by a province, territory, municipal or regional government;
- When working in collaboration with a municipality, a Canadian public or not-for-profit institution that is authorized, under the terms of a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal statute; or Royal Charter, to deliver post-secondary courses or programs that lead to recognized and transferable post-secondary credentials.
- A private sector body, including for-profit organizations and not-for-profit organizations. In the case of for-profit organizations, they will need to work in collaboration with one or more of the entities referred to above or an Indigenous Recipient listed below.
Eligible Indigenous Applicants, include:
- An Indigenous governing bodyEndnote * including, but not limited to:
- A band council within the meaning of Section 2 of the Indian Act;
- A First Nation, Inuit or MĂ©tis government or authority established pursuant to a Self-Government Agreement or a Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement between His Majesty the King in right of Canada and an Indigenous Peoples of Canada, that has been approved, given effect and declared valid by federal legislation; or
- A First Nation, Inuit or MĂ©tis government that is established by or under legislation whether federal, provincial or territorial legislation that incorporates a governance structure.
- An Indigenous Development CorporationEndnote **; and
- A not-for-profit organization whose central mandate is to improve Indigenous outcomes.
Endnote *
"Indigenous governing body" means a council, government or other entity that is authorized to act on behalf of an Indigenous group, community or people that holds rights recognized and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. Indigenous peoples of Canada has the meaning assigned by the definition Aboriginal peoples of Canada in subsection 35(2) of the Constitution Act, 1982
Endnote **
Indigenous Development Corporations are normally set-up by an Indigenous community organization/government. These corporations constitute the business/economic arm of Indigenous communities/governments and typically count the members of the community as their shareholders. Their primary role is to develop the economic activity of the Indigenous community that established them. Indigenous development corporations generally fall under two categories: for-profit and not-for-profit. The for-profit model however is unique in that profits are then re-invested in the community.
To be considered eligible, projects must be aimed at reducing the socio-economic, environmental and cultural impacts triggered by natural hazards and extreme weather events taking into consideration current and potential future impacts of climate change in communities and infrastructure at high risk.
Natural hazard and extreme weather events include but are not limited to:
- Avalanche
- Landslides
- Drought
- Permafrost thaw
- Earthquake
- Sea Level Rise
- Erosion
- Storm
- Extreme Temperature
- Tsunami
- Flood
- Wildland Fire
- Hurricane
- Other (If other, specification required)
Eligible infrastructure projects must involve new construction of public infrastructure and/or modification or reinforcement of existing public infrastructure including natural infrastructure that prevent, mitigate or protect against the impacts of climate change, disasters triggered by natural hazards, and extreme weather.
In cases where the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure, and Communities, in consultation with the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, has identified a specific area of concern due to urgent and emergent situations, projects could be considered outside of the competitive intake process.
3.1 Is grouping multiple projects allowed?
Eligible projects could include bundled sub-projects if it is demonstrated that each of the multiple mitigation/adaptation investments work systematically as a whole to reduce the same risk within the same time period.
Minimum Eligibility Requirements
- the organization is an eligible Recipient under the DMAF;
- the organization owns or will own the asset(s) or it has or will have secured all necessary rights and interest in the asset(s) Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada funds;
- the submission is for a project to expand, improve or build new public infrastructure that prevent, mitigate or protect against the impacts of climate change on Canadian communities, with the exclusion of emergency services infrastructure and man-made disasters;
- the total eligible cost for the project is at least $1M;
- the project is not solely for land acquisition; and
- the project will be substantially completed no later than December 31, 2034.
About the funding
When a project is selected for funding, the amount of the federal contribution will be determined based on:
- an assessment of the expenditure profile (including contingencies);
- the total eligible expenditures; and
- the federal share and stacking limits as outlined in Section 5.1.
Show all funding details
5.1 Federal Share and Stacking Limits
The maximum federal contribution from all sources of the total eligible expenditures for a given project is based on asset ownership and is determined as follows:
- Up to 50% for provinces;
- Up to 40% for municipalities and not-for profit organizations in provinces;
- Up to 75% for territories;
- Up to 100% for Indigenous Recipients, provincesEndnote *, territoriesEndnote * and municipalitiesEndnote * for which projects primarily benefit Indigenous communities or Indigenous populations; and
- Up to 25% for for-profit private sector organizations.
Endnote *
In exceptional circumstances where projects are led by other levels of government but in partnership with Indigenous communities and primarily support infrastructure investments in those communities, a letter of support from Indigenous communities must be provided for the other level of government to receive up to 100% federal share.
For projects including bundled sub-projects, cost-sharing as detailed in Section 5.1 will be applied based on the owner of the assets in each sub-project included in the bundled project.
Expenditures directly related – and necessary – to the successful implementation of an eligible project will be considered as eligible, except those listed in Section 6: What type of expenditures are ineligible? Eligible expenditures could include, for example:
- Capital cost, design and planning;
- Expenditures related to meeting specific program requirements, such as climate change and resiliency assessments, creating community employment benefit plans, as well as federal environmental assessments and duty to consult requirements.
4.1 Is land acquisition an eligible expenditure?
Land acquisition for the development of natural infrastructure could be an eligible expenditure where it is not the sole project component. Land acquisition is conditional on an eligible Applicant submitting:
- A justification, as part of the project application, that is acceptable to Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, for the need to acquire land as an integral aspect of the approved project;
- A demonstration, as part of the project application, of how the land would be used as natural infrastructure;
- A demonstration, as part of the Contribution Agreement for approved projects, of how the land would remain protected for 40 years by a provincial, territorial, municipal government, or Indigenous Recipients; and
- An attestation, once the land has been purchased, that the price is at, or below, fair market value.
Most costs associated with engagement and consultation are eligible expenditures and Applicants should plan to include these costs in their project estimates.
