Canadian City Parks Report 2021

Nature

Data

Stories

Climate Change

Special Story

How Parks Support Climate Change Resilience

Montreal Green Alley. Credit: Eco-quartier RPP

From cooling the air to soaking up water, we explore the multiple ways parks help cities to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Parks are where we go to connect with nature, play, and meet others in our community. But parks are also critical infrastructure helping cities mitigate and adapt to climate change—sometimes in surprising and hidden ways.

One way researchers describe the multiple benefits of urban green spaces is through documenting the “ecosystem services” these spaces provide for humans and non-humans alike. These services are the ways in which natural systems provide habitat, sustenance, temperature regulation, cultural and psychological benefits, and so much more.

Here we share recent research into the challenges climate change poses and the ways parks help us rise to meet them.

Connection

Heat

Flooding

Carbon

With more than a quarter of Canadians living alone and feeling the effects of social isolation, our collective green spaces are powerful places of social connection. They’re where we share experiences with community members and build social support networks that can be drawn on during challenging times.

The COVID-19 pandemic threw this into sharp focus, but the social connections forged in parks are also important for managing the anxiety and health impacts of climate change.

Providing a space to come together

Special Thanks

Park People thanks the RBC Foundation for their support of the Nature section of the Canadian City Parks Report.