Merritt/Victoria – New funding from the Province will allow the City of Merritt to rebuild two damaged dikes to higher standards to better protect against flooding and keep people safe.
The Province is providing the City of Merritt with $60 million to relocate and rebuild two critical dikes, on both banks of the Coldwater River, that were damaged during the flooding of November 2021.
Backgrounder:
The heavy rains and resultant flooding in southwestern B.C. in November 2021 was the most expensive natural disaster in B.C.’s history with catastrophic impacts to communities, the economy and critical infrastructure.
To date, the Province has committed more than $130 million, including the $60 million announced March 25, 2025, to support Merritt’s flood mitigation plan. This includes approximately:
- $9.5 million to support homeowners and business owners following the floods;
- $11 million to support 24 infrastructure projects through Disaster Financial Assistance;
- $1.9 million toward the $5.8 million Stuqi(x) project through Green Adaptation, Resilience and Disaster Mitigation (ARDM);
- $2 million for the Public Works to Canford Avenue Dike through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF);
- $2 million for the Voght Street to Garcia Street Flood Mitigation Works through CEPF;
- $831,879 for hydrotechnical and flood risk assessments, capacity building, and emergency preparedness planning through provincial grants and CEPF;
- $24 million for recovery and housing supports from the former Ministry of Municipal Affairs;
- $9.6 million for Vought Street Bridge Replacement (Middlesboro Bridge);
- $9.2 million for bank stabilization on Fir Avenue; and
- $60 million for relocating and rebuilding Dikes 129 and 130 on the banks of the Coldwater River.
