Infrastructure resilience at the core of national security
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This open letter, signed by Éric Bosco and Annie Levasseur of the AdapT Institute, highlights why infrastructure resilience in Canada is central to national security in a changing climate.
In a geopolitical context that weakens our supply chains and challenges our sovereignty, and as climate change directly threatens our most vital infrastructure, it is no longer sufficient to think of national security solely through a military lens. Protecting and adapting our infrastructure to new climate realities has become essential.
Canada is planning historic investments in the defense sector, but the resilience of our strategic infrastructure—airports, military installations, roads, bridges, ports, energy and communication networks—must not become the blind spot of our national security. Without accessible roads, functional ports, reliable energy grids, or secure telecommunications, even the best-equipped armed forces cannot effectively protect our territory and population. Strengthening their resilience to climate change is about building Canada’s true invisible shield.
Canadian researchers are developing concrete solutions. Innovation and research must become automatic considerations in political decision-making. Defending our sovereignty and strengthening the resilience of our infrastructure are now inseparable in a world increasingly disrupted by climate crises.
Last July, the New York City region and the state of New Jersey were struck by unprecedented flooding. The governor of New Jersey made it clear: “We are being swept away by climate.” The message is undeniable—our current infrastructure is no longer sufficient, and we are no better prepared than our neighbors.
Canada, as a northern and Arctic nation, is particularly exposed. Our territorial sovereignty, the continuity of our supply chains, and the safety of our populations, all demand infrastructure adapted to new climate realities. Ignoring the vulnerability of our energy, transportation, and telecommunications networks means undermining our economy, our security, and our autonomy.
In 2023, wildfires in Quebec caused $8 billion in damages, destroyed 4.3 million hectares, and forced 27,000 people to flee, according to a report by Ouranos. These events illustrate how climate change directly threatens both lives and livelihoods.
Our armed forces—key partners in national security—already know this. Each year, they are mobilized hundreds of times for emergency interventions in response to climate disasters. But the military need allies to complement their expertise. Canadian scientists, engineers, and researchers are delivering predictive, preventive, and innovative solutions that reduce risks before disasters strike.
We must act now. Science and research are ready, but they lack political and financial support. Federal and provincial governments must recognize this reality: research and innovation are not secondary. They are strategic—at the very heart of our sovereignty and security.
Éric Bosco, Executive director of the AdapT Institute
Annie Levasseur, Scientific director of the AdapT Institute
Letter to the editor – published on September 1st, 2025 in The Hill Times available here.
