The City of Delta is getting $2 million to improve dikes around Boundary Bay.
On Tuesday (July 11), the province announced is was providing more than $44 million through its Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) to help local governments and First Nations strengthen their resilience against climate-related hazards such as flooding, drought, wildfires and heat.
“With the severe flooding, drought and wildfires we’ve experienced recently, we are seeing direct impacts of climate change here in B.C.,” Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Bowinn Ma said in a press release.
“We’re investing in mitigation projects across the province so we can reduce the risk of disasters when they happen. These projects will help communities better protect themselves against climate-related events and increase their resilience in the long run to keep people across B.C safer.”
More than 70 projects in 63 communities are receiving funding under B.C.’s Disaster Risk Reduction-Climate Adaptation program stream — investments the province says also support its Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy, which outlines a broad range of actions planned through 2025 to address climate impacts and build resilience.
SEE ALSO: Surrey’s innovative ‘living dike’ pilot project in Mud Bay underway
The CEPF is administered by the Union of BC Municipalities on behalf of the province.
Jen Ford, president of the Union of BC Municipalities — which administers the CEPF on behalf of the province — said the projects being funded provide another step towards mitigating local risks and improving emergency readiness in those communities.
“As a result of our changing environment, there is considerable work to be done to better understand the risks and prepare for emergencies. Provincial funding is essential for work, and I welcome the funding announced today,” Ford said in a press release.
More than $163 million has been provided to First Nations and local governments through the CEPF since its inception in 2017, funding over 1,500 projects to help communities mitigate and prepare for disasters and climate-related emergencies.
In February, the province announced it was providing a $180-million top-up to the CEPF, bringing the total amount invested in the program to $369 million.
That announcement was paired with the launch of climatereadybc.ca, a new online hub offering hazard and mapping tools, risk data and other resources previously scattered across several different government websites, to help communities better prepare for future disasters related to climate change.
READ MORE: More provincial money announced for climate change preparedness across B.C.
editor@northdeltareporter.com
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