Climate Ready Infrastructure Service

What Climate Ready Infrastructure Service does

Climate Ready Infrastructure Service (CRIS) is a federally-funded national program that connects local governments (primarily those under 30,000 population), Indigenous communities, and non-profit housing organizations in Canada with a curated Roster of 120+ climate and infrastructure experts who deliver free technical guidance for integrating low-carbon resilience into housing and infrastructure projects. Administered by the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) and funded by Housing Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC) as part of the federal Climate Toolkit for Housing and Infrastructure, CRIS produces tailored Options Reports combining climate hazard analyses (flooding, wildfire, permafrost thaw, extreme weather, drought, extreme heat, wildfire smoke), ASHRAE Level 1/2 energy assessments, decarbonization pathways, Class D and Order-of-Magnitude cost estimates, design options, and funding pathway overviews.

The service operates through a Zoho Forms-based online intake, a two-Portfolio-Manager system (Eastern and Western Canada) for eligibility verification and expert matching, and themed or geographic cohort programs (Alberta Climate Resilience, Resilient Housing, Green Infrastructure, Saskatchewan Ice Rink Upgrades, B.C. Fire Departments, P.E.I. Reception Centres, National Resilient Roads). Cohort delivery is co-developed with 15+ national and provincial partner organizations including NAMS Canada, MCCAC, FCABC, SUMA, FPEIM, CHRA, AIM Network, Eco West, Tamarack Institute, and ICLEI Canada. Each participant receives up to 60 hours of personalized expert support over a 12-16 week engagement cycle.

CRIS generates no commercial revenue: all services are free to eligible participants, experts on the Roster receive compensation from CUI based on project scope, and program funding flows entirely from the Government of Canada through HICC. As of 2026, the program has served 200+ local governments and non-profit organizations and 25 Indigenous communities across nine provinces and the Yukon. Leadership comprises Climate Co-Leads Jeb Brugmann (founder of ICLEI, ex-100 Resilient Cities/Rockefeller Foundation) and Sadhu Johnston (former Vancouver City Manager), supported by Portfolio Managers and a communications and program-coordination team operating under the CUI parent organization.

Name

Climate Ready Infrastructure Service

Legal name

Climate Ready Infrastructure Service

Website

https://climatereadycanada.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Climate Ready Infrastructure Service (CRIS) is a federally-funded national program, administered by the Canadian Urban Institute, that provides free expert matching and tailored climate-resilience Options Reports to small Canadian municipalities, Indigenous communities, and non-profit housing organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate Resilience Advisory Services

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925)

akta.pro primary industry

Disaster Risk Reduction & Climate Risk Management (BPADALAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Climate Adaptation & Resilience Programs (BPADALAD)

Keywords

• Climate resilience consulting
• Infrastructure advisory services
• Municipal technical assistance
• Climate adaptation guidance
• Low-carbon infrastructure planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Service Delivery: CRIS is a free service fully funded by the Government of Canada through Housing Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC). The Canadian Urban Institute administers the program. No revenue is generated from participants; experts on the Roster receive financial compensation from CUI based on project scope, duration, expertise required, and hours committed. CRIS does not provide capital funding to municipalities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Climate Ready Infrastructure Service (CRIS) is a free, nationally administered program that matches local governments, Indigenous communities, and non-profit housing organizations with a curated Roster of 120+ vetted climate and infrastructure experts. Roster experts deliver up to 60 hours of personalized support per project, producing tailored Technical Options Reports that combine climate hazard analyses, ASHRAE energy assessments, cost estimates, and funding pathway guidance to help communities integrate low-carbon resilience into housing and infrastructure projects.

Product overview

Climate Ready Infrastructure Service (CRIS) is a single unified service program administered by the Canadian Urban Institute and funded by the Government of Canada. The core offering is a free expert matching service that connects local governments, Indigenous communities, and organizations with a Roster of 120+ climate and infrastructure experts who produce tailored Technical Options Reports. The service operates through individual project matching and Cohort programs (grouped communities with similar challenges). Cohorts include Alberta Climate Resilience, Resilient Housing, Green Infrastructure, Ice Rink Upgrades, Fire Department, Reception Centres, and Resilient Roads programs. Participants also access Expert-Led Webinars for peer learning and capacity building.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Climate Ready Infrastructure Service (CRIS) A national free service that connects local governments, Indigenous communities, and non-profit housing organizations with climate and infrastructure experts to receive technical guidance and tailored Options Reports for integrating low-carbon resilience into housing and infrastructure projects.
• Technical Options Report A tailored decision-support document produced by Roster experts that outlines practical climate mitigation and adaptation pathways, compares viable design options, explains trade-offs, and helps communities make informed infrastructure decisions aligned with funding opportunities.
• Roster of Climate and Infrastructure Experts A curated network of 120+ climate and infrastructure professionals and firms with verified qualifications, insurance, and track records, available to be matched with CRIS participants for project-specific engagements.
• CRIS Cohorts (Alberta Climate Resilience, Resilient Housing, Green Infrastructure) Grouped cohort programs that bring together communities facing similar climate challenges to receive one-on-one expert match and technical options reports, alongside opportunities to join expert-led webinars and peer learning sessions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200+ local governments and non-profit organizations served as of 2026
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• CRIS Roster of Climate and Infrastructure ExpertscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2026The Roster comprises 120+ individuals and firms providing expert consulting services. Roster members receive paid project assignments and opportunities for professional development, portfolio expansion, and network building. Call for Proposals invites Roster members to develop expert-led cohorts and innovative delivery approaches.
• Canadian Urban Institute (CUI)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCUI is the administering organization for CRIS. As a national charity driving place-based solutions, CUI manages program operations, Portfolio Managers, expert roster, cohort delivery, and overall program administration. CRIS is highlighted as a CUI initiative on canurb.org.
• NAMS CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAMS Canada partners on the National Resilient Roads Cohort and Green Infrastructure Cohort, providing specialized asset management expertise for roads and green infrastructure projects across Canadian communities.
• Municipal Climate Change Action Centre (MCCAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCCAC partners on the Alberta Climate Resilience Cohort, leveraging their relationships with Alberta municipalities and providing pre-application scoping support to help communities define eligible projects.
• Fire Chiefs' Association of B.C. (FCABC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFCABC partners on the B.C. Fire Departments Cohort, recruiting member fire departments to receive expert support for wildfire resilient, energy efficient fire and emergency services infrastructure upgrades.
• Saskatchewan Urban Municipal Association (SUMA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUMA partners on the Saskatchewan Ice Rink Upgrades Cohort, supporting 15 rural Saskatchewan communities with arena retrofit and upgrade projects.
• Federation of Prince Edward Island Municipalities (FPEIM)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFPEIM partners on the P.E.I. Reception Centres Cohort, inviting municipalities across Prince Edward Island to receive expert guidance for upgrading reception centres for climate resilience and energy efficiency.
• Canadian Housing and Renewal Association (CHRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHRA partners on the Resilient Housing Cohort, a national program for non-profit, co-operative, and municipal housing organizations to receive expert consultation for new construction or retrofit housing projects.
• Eco West CanadamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEco West Canada co-delivers the Saskatchewan Ice Rink Upgrades Cohort, providing sustainability expertise for the program supporting 15 rural communities.
• Atlantic Infrastructure Management (AIM) NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIM Network partners with NAMS Canada and CRIS on the National Resilient Roads Cohort, supporting local roads and public works departments across Atlantic Canada and beyond.
• Tamarack InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTamarack Institute contributes to CRIS through knowledge sharing and community resilience expertise, including participation in CityTalk panel discussions on climate equity and infrastructure planning.
• ICLEI CanadamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICLEI Canada collaborates on webinar content, connecting Climate Insight tool with CRIS services. CRIS promotes Climate Insight as a prerequisite resource for communities to identify climate risks and prepare service requests.
• COOP Sens ClimatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOOP Sens Climat partnered with CRIS and NAMS Canada to deliver the Climate Change Fundamentals webinar helping participants understand and use Options Reports effectively.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Clean Air Partnership: Provides climate change mitigation and adaptation services to Ontario municipalities, including vulnerability assessments and resilience planning. Closely analogous service offering to CRIS with municipal focus.
• Pembina Institute: Canadian clean energy and climate policy advisory with municipal engagement programs and technical reports. Comparable advisory/technical-reporting structure serving government and community clients.
• Green Communities Canada: National umbrella for community environmental organizations delivering sustainable transportation, energy, and resilience programs to Canadian municipalities. Comparable community-based sustainability delivery model.
• Tamarack Institute: Canadian community development collaborative that advances collective impact and community resilience. Collaborates with CRIS on climate equity programming and shares a focus on community-level capacity building.
• Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM): Federally-backed organization that funds and advises Canadian municipalities on sustainable infrastructure projects through the Green Municipal Fund. Most directly comparable Canadian capacity-building program for municipal climate/sustainability work.
• QUEST Canada: Accelerates community adoption of renewable energy, smart energy, and climate solutions across Canadian municipalities. Comparable professional services and municipal engagement model.
• ICLEI Canada: Canadian arm of the global Local Governments for Sustainability network, supporting municipal climate action plans and resilience projects. Overlaps with CRIS on small-community climate adaptation advisory services.

Others

• Canadian Urban Institute (CUI): Parent organization that administers CRIS. A national charity driving place-based urban solutions, providing broader urban capacity building beyond CRIS's climate-infrastructure mandate.

Emerging players

• Clean Energy Canada: Clean energy policy and research organization focused on renewable transition. Partial overlap with CRIS on decarbonization pathways and energy assessments for municipal infrastructure.
• Smart Prosperity Institute: Clean economy policy research and advisory organization. Provides policy-level climate-economy analysis that complements CRIS's municipal-level technical advisory services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/climate-ready-infrastructure-service
• Instagraminstagram.com/climatereadycanada

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Climate Ready Infrastructure Service