Media Advisory - IBC Sponsor of Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Conference

NYC social scientist Eric Klinenberg keynote speaker

TORONTO, May 30, 2013 /CNW/ - One of North America's top thinkers on how cities can adapt to climate change and the new weather extremes will share his latest findings on "climate-proofing" in an engaging talk Saturday, June 1, 2013, 3:45 to 5 p.m. at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Annual Conference and Trade Show in Vancouver.

Eric Klinenberg, a social scientist and director of the Institute for Public Knowledge at New York University, currently heads up a major research project on climate change and the future of cities. He is speaking at the conference at the invitation of the Insurance Bureau of Canada, the industry association representing Canada's private home, car and business insurers. The industry, which has seen property insurance claims rise as a result of extreme weather events, takes a leadership role in helping communities and consumers adapt to the new weather realities.

Klinenberg, a sought-after speaker and bestselling author, recently wrote a first-person account of the devastation in New York City following Hurricane Sandy in a piece published in The New Yorker magazine. In it, he also described international examples of cities more successful at building in resiliency to protect residents, businesses and infrastructure from extreme weather disasters.

Klinenberg will be speaking in Meeting Room 2 of the Vancouver Convention Centre at the session "Industry Exchange: Innovations in Adaptation - Can we "climate-proof" our communities?"

This year's FCM conference and trade show is in Vancouver from May 31 to June 3, 2013, and will be attended by nearly 2,000 municipal leaders from across Canada. IBC is a major sponsor of the event.

About Insurance Bureau of Canada
IBC is the industry association representing Canada's private home, car and business insurers. The industry employs 118,600 Canadians, pays more than $7 billion in taxes to the federal, provincial and municipal governments, and has a total premium base of $46 billion.

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SOURCE: INSURANCE BUREAU OF CANADA

or to schedule an interview, contact:

Ellen Woodger      
Communications Consultant
Insurance Bureau of Canada
416-483-2358
[email protected]

Helen Lialias
Media Relations Officer
Insurance Bureau of Canada
416-362-2031 x 4312
[email protected]