Overview

Most flood maps in Ontario are created by municipalities and conservation authorities. The maps are used to:

  • protect people and property from flooding
  • direct new development away from high-risk areas
  • identify areas where flood-proofing or other measures may be required to manage risks to communities

To map where a flood is most likely to occur, we draw the amount and elevation of floods on a base map.

Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program

In January 2022, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) launched the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP).

This program provides up to 50% matched federal funding to provinces and territories for eligible flood mapping projects to help reduce the costs of creating or updating maps.

Under the FHIMP, the federal government provided up to $7.6 million in funding for flood mapping projects in Ontario.

The program accepted applications for funding from municipalities, conservation authorities and Indigenous communities from August 12 to September 16, 2022.

Thirty-five local organizations were approved to receive funding for 55 high-priority flood mapping projects in Ontario. Funding is being provided to selected recipients until March 2024.

Projects receiving funding include those that support:

  • data acquisition used in hydrological and hydraulic modeling of high-priority areas to inform the development of new flood hazard maps
  • flood hazard modelling and mapping
  • dissemination of flood hazard information to improve access to flood hazard maps
  • hazard assessment, priority setting and scoping

Program extension to 2028

NRCan announced an extension to the FHIMP to March 2028.

Ontario will receive up to $15 million over 4 years in federal funding to advance flood mapping activities across the province.

Information about how to apply to receive funding will be available in the coming months. We encourage interested Indigenous communities, municipalities and conservation authorities to prepare to apply for future funding using NRCan’s existing project eligibility requirements.

We will update this page with new program information as soon as it is available.

Data, survey and mapping specifications

We created the Technical Bulletin—Flooding Hazards: Data, Survey and Mapping Specifications to help municipalities, conservation authorities, consultants and other service providers undertake flood hazard surveying and mapping in Ontario.

The technical bulletin:

  • is intended to be the definitive source of flood hazard data, survey and mapping guidance for use in Ontario
  • includes the latest science, technology and engineering approaches for identifying flood hazard areas
  • will increase clarity and consistency in the identification and management of floodplains in Ontario
  • will ensure municipalities, conservation authorities and consultants use the best available data when preparing or updating floodplain mapping

We developed the technical bulletin with input and feedback from a multi-partner flood mapping technical team of staff from:

  • provincial and federal government agencies
  • municipalities
  • conservation authorities

The bulletin is a first step in fulfilling Ontario’s commitments in Protecting People and Property: Ontario’s Flooding Strategy.

Contact

If you need any additional information or have questions, email mnrwaterpolicy@ontario.ca.