Stakeholder Engagement and Consultation on the Impacts and Documentation Needs Related to Flood Risk in the River Estuary of the Québec City Metropolitan Area

The Québec City metropolitan area currently lacks data and a common mapping tool for flood-prone areas that would enable consistent, coordinated, and uniform management of these areas and allow for effective communication with the public regarding the risk of river flooding. The OSIRISQ project (Open Source Modeling of Flooding and Associated Risks in Quebec City) aims to develop a shared tool for modeling flood hazards and communicating coastal risks to support public policies on land use planning and public safety interventions. The third part of this project, focusing more specifically on the needs of the population and risk communication, aims to prepare the various stakeholders involved—including both decision-makers and the public—to address these challenges and realities. A research and communication initiative was therefore undertaken to 1) document the needs of coastal populations and communities in anticipation of the release of potential new maps, to ensure their proper understanding and eventual acceptance, and to limit negative impacts on health, well-being, and the quality of the social fabric; and 2) to identify the resources (current and desired) needed to support them through these changes. This research began with a literature review, conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, which then informed the thematic questions posed to various experts and stakeholders during a consultation activity held in the form of focus groups attended by researchers from all components of the OSIRISQ project. These two exercises highlighted the complexity of communication challenges related to river flooding, particularly due to the large number of stakeholders involved and a lack of coordination and clear definition of roles and responsibilities among them. Similarly, it was found that a lack of understanding or misperception of the scientific data and methods used to develop hydrographic models can lead to problems in understanding and interpreting these models and even to their political exploitation. The need to integrate considerations of the vulnerabilities of the affected territory into mapping tools to make them more operational for decision-making regarding land management and to enable them to serve as more effective communication tools for the public was also emphasized. Finally, it was highlighted that the crucial role consultation activities can play at any stage of the risk management process should not be taken lightly, as they can address various communication needs (prevention, information gathering, coordination, incorporation of post-event lessons learned, improving risk acceptability and perception, public outreach, etc.). The mapping model produced as part of the OSIRISQ project must therefore be accompanied by a communication strategy that includes efforts to consult stakeholders, document the territory’s vulnerabilities, and provide explanations.