The Campbell administration expects sea levels will increase one metre by 2100 as a result of climate change. So it's hiring a consultant to measure how vulnerable British Columbia is to that increase, establishing a "sea level rise and extreme water level sensitivity index" for the province's coastline.

The bid document, which is reposted at Public Eye, acknowledged such a rise could pose a "risk to coastal infrastructure" and result in the "potential loss of coastal habitats where natural migration may be impeded."

The BC government will spend up to $25,000 to identify risk areas such as:

-- Shorelines with built structures and developed land vulnerable to damage due to extreme water levels both now and by 2100; and

-- High value intertidal and coastal wetland habitats at risk of being "squeezed out" by rising extreme water levels projected to 2100 because of adjacent existing and potential future shoreline development or infrastructure.

“The index will be used to identify and characterise coast lines according to their sensitivity to the projected impacts of sea level rise including flooding, storm surge and erosion,” the request for proposal states.

Sean Holman is editor of Public Eye.