Surrey – The City of Surrey has received $624,200 for new projects to help it become more resilient in a changing climate. The projects are supported by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities as part of its Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program funded by the Government of Canada.
“The City of Surrey is leading the way in planning for the challenges presented by a changing climate,” said Mayor Linda Hepner. “As a coastal community, it is important that we bring together our partners and stakeholders to develop solutions to the impact of climate change. Collaboration across all orders of government is needed and the funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities will be integral in the comprehensive work we are doing on this front.”
“Communities like the City of Surrey are looking for ways to maximize their infrastructure dollars, plan for, and adapt to the impacts of climate change, and undertake programs that benefit the environment. Local solutions are helping tackle national challenges — and are building a more livable, competitive Canada. We are proud of the great work communities are undertaking with the help of these programs.” added Jenny Gerbasi, President of the Canadian Federation of Municipalities
Surrey became a leader in Climate Action in 2013 with The Community Climate Action Strategy. The funding supports the Engineering Department in four different projects:
- $175,000 to support the general development of Surrey’s Coastal Flood Adaptation Strategy. This initiative commenced in 2016 and has engaged over 500 partners, stakeholders and residents to develop a long term strategy to increase resilience to coastal flooding and sea level rise. Learn more at www.surrey.ca/coastal
- $102,800 to further support the development of Surrey’s Coastal Flood Adaptation Strategy with a project Improving Coastal Flood Adaptation Approaches to Minimize Infrastructure Risk by engaging various levels of government on the significant critical infrastructure vulnerabilities on land posed by coastal flooding and sea level rise.
- $171,400 to further support the development of Surrey’s Coastal Flood Adaptation Strategy with a project to Prioritize Infrastructure and Ecosystem Risk from Coastal Processes in Mud Bay. This project will increase awareness and understanding of coastal green infrastructure and how it is changing, and what areas and species are at risk.
- $175,000 for research into low-carbon energy supply alternatives for the City’s district energy system, Surrey City Energy, to help mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Surrey’s Coastal Flood Adaptation Strategy has completed the first phase and is currently developing adaptation options to coastal flooding. The $449,200 for the first three projects supports the following initiatives:
- Additional engagement and collaboration with infrastructure owners. In total, over 40 organizations have participated in a series of events to develop a shared responsibility for infrastructure vulnerability and to inform options being developed to adapt to sea level rise.
- Additional engagement with environmental organizations, research and analysis of important ecosystems and species along Surrey’s Coast, in Mud Bay. The area is recognized as an internationally important bird area, providing critical nutrients to birds on the Pacific Fly Way. The project brings together technical specialists in coastal geomorphology, marine species and migratory birds to assess shoreline vulnerabilities and strengthens relationships with environmental organizations such as Duck Unlimited Canada and Friends of Semiahmoo Bay Society.
To complement the above adaptation projects, Surrey City Energy is advancing low-carbon energy supply. The $175,000 of funding for the fourth project supports:
- Engineering to pre-design materials to select the most cost-effective option to pursue in the short term. The options being evaluated include the use of biomass from clean urban waste wood at the Green Timbers site and the use of waste heat from the South Surrey Interceptor trunk sewer in combination with waste heat from refrigeration at the new arena facility at the Trouten Pit site.
