Managed retreat is increasingly recognized as a permanent, cost-effective solution to address flooding and erosion. While managed retreat takes many forms, buyouts are a core strategy for reducing risk. Unfortunately, buyouts are also often controversial. In Canada especially, they are often reactionary, have low uptake, and may suffer from a lack of trust between stakeholders. As a result, a growing body of literature seeks to understand factors which influence residents’ willingness to participate in buyout programs. Yet, there are few practical strategies which buyout coordinators can use to improve public perception or participation rates. This paper applies the concept of social license, or the ongoing public approval of a project, to identify strategies which may assist coordinators in improving buyout acceptance.
