Lunenburg Part 2 - Section 5 - Social Vulnerability - August 30.pdf

Two coastal dissemination areas have significant populations of recent immigrants. While these
residents may not be socially vulnerable in other regards, they may be at greater risk in an
emergency situation due to a lack of familiarity with local weather patterns, emergency
procedures, and sources of assistance, as well as less developed social networks. Education
about natural hazards and steps to take in an extreme weather event may reduce their
vulnerability.
While the proportion of children in the District, particularly in coastal dissemination areas, is
relatively low for Nova Scotia, dissemination area 117, which exhibits other features of social
vulnerability, has an Above Average proportion of lone parent families. These families may
require additional assistance in the event of a natural hazard.
Fortunately, few services that socially vulnerable populations rely on are at risk of storm surge
inundation. However, both clients and staff living in areas at risk of inundation or isolation may
be unable to reach these services. Therefore, interruption in important services at a time of
enhanced need is still a possibility.
While most of the policy choices that can address the root causes of social vulnerability are the
purview of the provincial and federal governments, the District of Lunenburg does have
opportunities to reduce some areas of social vulnerability, for example through policy changes to
better accommodate the provision of good-quality low-income housing, and addressing the need
for public transportation service, which would improve area residents’ access to services –
particularly medical services and grocery stores – and employment opportunities.
Additionally, the Municipality could play a role in helping communities to adapt to changing social
resources. While the District has many strong communities, there is also a significant proportion
of new and seasonal residents that may be less integrated in community activities. Many
consultees noted that the role played by some historic community organizations, such as church
groups, is declining as their membership ages. Communities in the District will need to overcome
conservative tendencies in order to accept social change, compensate for these losses, and
both accept and promote new forms of community involvement.
Reducing Vulnerability
Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and severity of extreme weather events;
this will be as true for the District of Lunenburg as any other location. Repeat exposure has both
negative and positive implications: natural hazards can worsen existing vulnerability, as well as
creating new vulnerability; on the other hand, previous experience of extreme weather events
can identify areas of increased risk or vulnerability, as well as providing knowledge that can help
people to better prepare for adverse impacts. 213 Additionally, those that have experienced a
previous natural hazard may be more likely to take hazard risks seriously, and therefore be more
willing to participate in risk-reduction measures and respond to warnings. 214
In this sense, the District’s large population of seniors is both a source of vulnerability and a
potential driver of resilience. Seniors are more likely to experience sensory, mobility, or cognitive
limitations; those that do will require assistance preparing for an extreme weather event,
understanding and acting on warnings and evacuation orders, coping during an event, and
recovering afterwards. However, many of the District’s seniors will also be an excellent resource
for knowledge about local weather patterns, previous extreme weather events, and traditional
213 Enarson and Walsh, 2007. p. 14; Ford et al., 2009. p. 149, 152; Tapsell et al., 2010. p. 11, 17, 59.
214 Tapsell et al., 2010.
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