Draft Details

This Standard provides a national framework for the assessment, design, implementation, and maintenance of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for managing coastal flood and erosion risks. It supports a systems-based approach grounded in adaptive management, performance monitoring, and evidence-based decision-making to sustain long-term functionality of NbS under dynamic environmental conditions. The Standard applies to coastal environments across Canada, including marine shorelines, Great Lakes coasts, and estuarine systems. It offers guidance suitable for a range of settings—from urbanized coastlines to remote or ecologically sensitive areas—and is intended for use at various stages of project planning and execution.

This Standard also addresses the importance of engagement with interested parties, including Rights and Title Holders, to support inclusive, collaborative, and locally grounded decision-making.

While the Standard promotes the broad application of NbS, it acknowledges that not all solutions are suitable for all regions. Regional variability in environmental, social, cultural, and geomorphic may affect the feasibility, design, and expected outcomes of NbS. As such, the Standard provides a flexible framework that allows for adaptation to local context.

1.1 Inclusions

This Standard applies to coastal flood and erosion management projects including:

a)  shoreline and estuarine environments for the:

i)   Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic Oceans; and

ii)  the Great Lakes;

b)  projects with exposure to:

i)   sea-level rise;

ii)  seasonal changes in water level

iii) storm surges;

iv) tidal influence;

v)  wave action;

vi) shoreline instability;

vii) coastal erosion and deposition processes;

viii)   coastal shoreline flooding; and

ix) compound flooding;

c)  relevant to project scales including:

i)   site-specific;

ii)  reach-scale;

iii) system-scale; and

iv) regional scale.

Note: More information on project scales is provided in Clause 7.3.

d)  applications across urban, and rural coastal settings;

e)  explicit consideration of climate change impacts on coastal processes; and

f)   Indigenous-led and co-developed coastal flood and erosion management NbS initiatives.

Note: In the context of this Standard, coastal refers to the interface between land and large water bodies, encompassing both oceanic shorelines and shorelines of the Great Lakes. This definition recognizes that although Great Lakes shorelines are not marine, they exhibit many of the same geomorphic, hydrodynamic, and risk management challenges as ocean coasts.

1.2 Exclusions

While the approaches contained within this Standard could be applied more broadly, the following is explicitly excluded from this Standard:

a)  natural hazard events such as Tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, etc.;

b)  riverine-only flood or erosion risk measures unrelated to coastal dynamics;

c)  pluvial, groundwater, or debris flow hazards unless acting in conjunction with coastal processes;

d)  non-flood or erosion-related applications of NbS (e.g., solely for biodiversity, recreation, or urban greening); and

e)  projects relying exclusively on grey infrastructure, except where integrated as hybrid NbS systems.

In addition, this Standard does not address procurement or regulatory compliance beyond general guidance provided in Section 7.

1.3 Terminology

In this Standard, “shall” is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the standard; “should” is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and “may” is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the Standard.

Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate the text from explanatory or informative material.

Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements.

Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (non-mandatory) to define their application.

NbS terminology and definitions vary and are highly dependent on the context in which they are used. Users shall refer to the definitions specified within this standard.