ABSTRACT
Community responses to disasters are shaped by the format of public engagement and opportunities for dialogue and relationship building. Drawing on two case studies in Southern Alberta, Canada we found that despite governments’ objectives for transformative change, community engagement processes did not provide spaces for deeper exploration and connection to collectively address root causes and systemic issues that led to the 2013 flood disaster. As such, a critical opportunity was missed for residents to gain a greater understanding of risk apportionment, for facilitating a cultural shift, and for building the social capacity needed for actions that lead to long-term reduction in overall flood risk.
