DMAF accepts applications from a wide range of applicants including provinces and territories, municipalities, indigenous organizations, and some public and private sector bodies. Consult Section 2 of the Applicant Guide for specific details on eligible applicants.

There is no limit to the number of applications a proponent can submit. Each DMAF project requires a separate application unless the projects are bundled. Bundling or grouping of projects is the practice of combining related projects into one larger infrastructure project to enhance community resilience for a larger area. For more information on bundled projects, see What is project bundling and how does it work?

Yes, applicants are encouraged to apply again. If resubmitting a previous application, applicants are encouraged to ensure that their project meets all of the program eligibility requirements outlined in Section 7 of the Applicant Guide.  

Before you begin, you should ensure that you meet all of the minimum eligibility requirements outlined in Section 7 of the Applicant Guide.

Applicants must register for an Infrastructure Canada (INFC) Applicant Account on the INFC Funding Portal to access the DMAF application form. Once registered:

• New Applicants will be required to create an organization profile. Once you have created your New Organization in the INFC Funding Portal, please select it from the Existing Organization Name list.
• For Applicants that have applied to the DMAF through previous intakes, your organization profile has already been created. You can find this profile by searching the existing organization list. In the event that your organization is not found, you can proceed to create a new organization profile.

Additional specific requirements can be found in Section 7 of the Applicant Guide.

Applicants who experience difficulty accessing the INFC Funding Portal are asked to reach out to the DMAF Team at dmaf-faac@infc.gc.ca.

Yes. Webinar details and registration dates are available on our website.

Applicants must substantiate information provided in their applications using the best available data and research, including historical and projected information, as well as Indigenous Knowledge, where available. Both qualitative and quantitative evidence should be included to support your application. Where direct studies and reports for the project area are not available, other comparable data sources can be used, provided that their relevance and any inference based on these sources are well explained.

The size limit for attachments in the portal is 30MB.

Natural hazards under the DMAF include but are not limited to: avalanches, droughts, earthquakes, erosion, extreme temperatures, floods, hurricanes, landslides, permafrost thaw, sea level rise, storms, tornados, tsunamis, and wildland fires.

The costs associated with any form of study, including feasibility studies and/or risk assessments are ineligible for reimbursement. However, costs related to meeting specific program requirements, such as the Climate Lens - GHG Assessment, as well as creating Community Employment Benefit plans are eligible expenditures for approved projects.

Eligible expenditures are costs that Infrastructure Canada considers to be direct and necessary for the successful implementation of an eligible project such as project design, planning, capital cost, and other specific program requirements as those mentioned above.

Projects where construction has started are ineligible. However, if only the design and planning has started for the project, then the project could be eligible. Costs related to work already completed and all expenditures related to contracts signed prior to project approval are ineligible for reimbursement under the DMAF.

Collaborating and working in partnership with other eligible recipients on projects under the DMAF is allowed and encouraged. Bundling or grouping of projects is the practice of combining related projects into one larger infrastructure project to enhance community resilience for a larger area. In the context of the DMAF, eligible recipients can submit a project application that includes more than one asset and/or project location if each asset works systematically as a whole to reduce the same risk within the same time period.

For example, to address flooding, neighboring communities may collaborate and submit one project as the communities are all located within the same watershed and the collective sub-projects within each community are required to work together to optimize community resilience as a whole.

For wildfire projects, a province or territory may bundle fire break projects across the entire province or territory. The province or territory may also work with a neighbouring province or territory.

One lead applicant must be identified who will submit the application and with whom INFC would sign the Contribution Agreement if the project is successful. The lead applicant would be responsible for project implementation, for entering into agreements with the co-applicants and for managing the project funds.

The acquisition of private land is an eligible expenditure under the DMAF only for the development of natural infrastructure that mitigates against a natural hazard, and if it is not the sole project component. The acquisition of land must be required to achieve a project's intended outcome and must be acquired at or below fair market value.

Eligibility for land acquisition expenditures will be conditional on the recipient submitting all of the requirements outlined in Section 4 of the Applicant Guide.

Schools, hospitals and community centers are not eligible for funding under the DMAF.

Locally owned airports and ports are eligible under the DMAF.

The relocation of individuals and/or communities is ineligible.

INFC expects that all contracts be awarded in a way that is fair, transparent and competitive.

Natural infrastructure is the use of natural resources such as plants, soils, and wetlands to reduce or mitigate the impact of climate change or natural hazards. Examples of natural infrastructure projects include wetlands for flood control and fire breaks to mitigate wildland fires.

Design elements are only eligible for funding if connected to the broader project. For example, soft landscaping such as trees, or hard landscaping such as sidewalks, may be eligible if they are an essential part of a larger eligible project.

INFC will determine if an environmental assessment and/or indigenous consultation is required under the Impact Assessment Act and section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. Determination letters outlining obligations to be met prior to project construction will be provided to applicants following project selection.

The projects must be completed no later than December 31, 2032.

The maximum federal share for each project is determined based on the applicant type, with the contribution calculated based on a project's total eligible expenditures, including contingencies and respecting stacking limits. See Section 5 of the Applicant Guide for information on federal share and stacking limits.

Note: While, the total value of a project may include both activities and amounts that are eligible for DMAF funding (eligible expenditures) and activities and amounts related to the project but that are not eligible for reimbursement under DMAF (ineligible expenditures), only eligible expenditures will be considered when calculating the maximum federal contribution under the DMAF.

Eligible projects must have a minimum of $1 million in total eligible project costs. Applicants are responsible to ensure that eligible costs included in their application estimates respect Section 4 and Section 6 of the Applicant Guide.

There are no funding allocations by region, or by natural hazard under the DMAF program.

Applicants apply directly to Infrastructure Canada for funding, and projects will be selected through a merit-based process.

Yes, it is possible to use provincial or municipal sources of funds. The maximum federal stacking limits will have to be respected, which includes any federal funding received for a project that flows through municipal or provincial sources. For more information, please see Section 5 of the Applicant Guide.

Overhead expenditures are generally ineligible, however some exceptions may apply. See Section 6 of the Applicant Guide for more information.

DMAF is a national, merit-based program, and projects will be assessed against eligibility and merit criteria. Please see Section 7 of the Applicant Guide for more details.

Reliable sources and strong rationale to support the data included in the application are essential; especially for hazard risk, resilience and return on investment merit criteria. 

Infrastructure Canada will contact all applicants once the assessments are completed. After decisions have been made, all applicants will be informed of the results of their respective application(s). The DMAF team will be available to provide feedback should an applicant make the request.

Costs become eligible as of the date of the project Approval-in-Principle letter from the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities.

Costs incurred prior to the date of this letter, as well as all expenditures related to contracts signed prior to the date of this letter, are ineligible for reimbursement (except for expenditures associated with the Climate Lens assessment(s) for approved projects).

A contribution agreement is the mechanism to flow funds for a project once all approval conditions are met. Infrastructure Canada will reimburse claims as they are submitted after a contribution agreement is signed. Claims can be submitted throughout the project implementation as eligible costs are incurred.

Payment for applicants may be contingent on the completion of other program requirements, including, but not limited to a federal Environmental Assessment, consultation with Indigenous groups, Greenhouse Gases mitigation assessment, a proof that all other funding sources have been secured and an attestation that the land acquisition has been completed. See Section 8 of the Applicant Guide for more details.