Public-private negotiation around Ottawa’s urban flooding

Principal Investigator: Ruth McKay, Management
Project Title: Urban Flooding on Ottawa, Canada: Business as Usual or New Friction between Public and Private Stakeholders?
Funder: SSHRC Insight Development

This project seeks to increase the understanding of how private and public sector stakeholders negotiate policies, guidelines and regulations intended to improve the resilience of Ottawa neighborhoods. This research also represents a first attempt to study the local politics and stakeholder relationships of flood risk mitigation in a Canadian city. The researchers will go beyond official policy and marketing narratives to explore the complex dynamics of urban development amid escalating impacts associated with climate change. Given the immediate concerns about flooding, the lack of research in this area, and the potential sensitivity of the topic, the project will break new ground in the study of city­building and sustainability.