Natural Hazards in Ontario, Canada: An Analysis for Resilience Building

Abstract

This study analyses all natural hazards that occurred in Ontario, Canada during the period 1900 - 2013. The focus of this research is on the impact on critical infrastructure and critical facilities during these events. There are a total of 160 events during this period; almost 1.5 events per year. The events are classified into hydrological, meteorological, geological, and biological types. In terms of the frequency of the events, floods were the highest at 56 followed by severe thunder storms at 21, 19 wildfires, 17 tornadoes, 14 winter storms, and less than 10 events each of epidemics, drought, unspecified storms, extreme cold and heat, sinkholes, and hurricanes. Damage to critical infrastructure, both short term and long term included damaged power lines due to flooding and ice storms, highway closures, disruption to the ferry service, and back up of sewer with raw sewage onto the streets. Disruptions occurred in critical facilities, such as fire services, isolation of hospitals, no home delivery of milk, ice, and fuel posing threat to life for vulnerable population. Even though flooding was common to both long and short term impacts, for short term impact, the second highest are severe thunder storms and tornadoes followed by epidemics; whereas for long term impact events, the second highest hazard is wildfire followed by severe thunder storms. Extensive analysis has been carried out to provide better understanding of natural hazards occurrences and their impact for the purpose of building disaster resilience in communities.