Fraser Valley/Victoria – With a $7.5 million top up to the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF), seven more local governments and First Nations communities have had structural flood mitigation projects approved, helping them reduce the impacts of flooding.
As well, 48 communities will receive their share of $1.7 million through the Emergency Support Services (ESS) stream, which targets projects that build local emergency management capacity through volunteer recruitment, retention and training, including in-house training, and the purchase of ESS equipment.
This includes Chilliwack for Fraser River Bank Erosion Protection. The Total approved funding: $750,000
“This is great news for the protection of communities in British Columbia,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “By adding $7.5 million more to the existing program, we were able to fund seven flood mitigation projects that might not otherwise have received this funding. As well, 48 communities will also receive funding to help Emergency Support Services do their invaluable work to get British Columbians through some of their worst moments.”
Since September 2017, communities and governments around B.C. have received more than $65 million through the fund. The successful applicants for the latest round of funding hail from every part of B.C.
Funding for the Structural Flood Mitigation component of CEPF was announced at the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) convention in September 2017. This funding is part of $77 million that is provided to help communities prepare for and respond to disasters.
