BC Government Announces $9.5 Million in Structural Flood Mitigation Funding ($220,00 to the Cariboo ... $730,000 to the Okanagan ... and $75,000 for the Thompson Nicola)

Yesterday (June 12th, 2018), the Public Safety and Solicitor General's Office in BC announced that communities throughout the province will be receiving approximately $9.5 million in provincial emergency preparedness funding for structural flood mitigation. 

 

Included in that total, will be pump stations and dikes... as well as funding for signage, trailer storage, safety vests, training, uniforms ... and erosion protection and bank stabilization.

The Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) has released the funding for the structural flood mitigation component of the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund.

Yesterdays announcement was part of a $33.5-million plan, for what has been intended to assist communities in BC prepare for, and respond to, disasters.

Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General was quoted stating, “When we released the first round of funding, I talked about how critically important these programs are to assist our most vulnerable communities."

He went on to state, “The flooding we continued to see in the province this year shows this funding is more vital than ever to make sure communities are prepared.”

Funding for the structural flood mitigation projects will be focused on three areas.  These will include Flood Risk Assessment, Mapping, and Mitigation ... Emergency Social Services .... and Emergency Operation Centres. 

In the Okanagan, Thompson, Cariboo and Nicola regions of the province, this years funding has been announced for the following projects:

CARIBOO ... total funding approximately $220,00

... the Cariboo Regional District gets $25,00 emergency operations equipment and training

... my old hometown of Williams Lake will receive $25,000 to be used towards an ESS capacity building ... and $24,200 goes to Williams Lake for an EOC technology upgrade

... EOC and a training project for Cache Creek will be funded with just under $25,000 ... and $23,395 to Cache Creek for Training, Supplies and Recruitment

... Quesnel will be receiving $15,500 for a group lodging trailer and equipment.  Quesnel will also be the recipient of an addition $19,000 for EOC and training updates

... Clinton receives $10,00 for flood risk analysis.  As well, Clinton will see $25,00 for EOC IT and equipment

... $25,000 will head to Wells for area emergency preparedness

OKANAGAN (North, South and Central) ... total funding approximately $730,000

... $150,000 for the Central Okanagan Regional District to update mapping and for dyke breach analysis

... $150,000 to Kelowna for flood mitigation and planning

... the North Okanagan Regional District will be funded with $150,00 for flood mapping, who also receives $25,000 for EOC building improvements and preparedness training

... $66,50 goes to Penticton for flood risk assessment ... $25,000 will also be headed to Penticton for recruitment, training, and equipment ... and another $25,000 goes to Penticton for EOC and training

... Summerland gets $10,574 for Emergency Management Training

... the Okanagan - Similkameen Regional District will see $25,00 sent for recruitment, training and mobile supplies

... Central Okanagan Regional District will be replacing a large format printer at a cost of $25,000

... Vernon received $25,000 for what is being called a Capacity Building: Computers, Training, and Exercises, and volunteer management software ... Vernon also receives an additional $25,000 for an EOC capacity building

... just under $25,000 will be headed to Lumby for recruitment, training and exercises, as well as equipment

... Coldstream gets $10,00 for EOC training

Historical flood level marker in
Riverside Park in Kamloops

THOMPSON NICOLA ... total funding approximately $75,000

... the Thompson Nicola Regional District received $25,000 for a regional ESS team development project

... $24,505 will be headed to Kamloops for ESS Training and Infrastructure Enhancement

... just over $22,000 goes to Logan Lake for an EOC capacity building grant

... $4,000 will be headed to Sun Peaks for safety vests and an EOC training course

Overall, the three geographic areas (Okanagan, Cariboo, and Thompson Nicola) will see $1,026,000 of the nine and a half million being invested through-out the province -- approximately 9.26% of the total funding.

Further funding next year (2019), from the Public Safety and Solicitor General's Office, is expected to focus on evacuation routes which will include mapping and building routes out of communities that only have one road in and out of town.