Victoria — The BC Government is providing nearly $2 million, through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF), to local governments and First Nations. This funding will support 51 communities to develop and update their plans through 42 public notification and evacuation route planning projects. Projects include mapping routes, improving evacuation and public notification plans, and running training exercises to test plans before an emergency occurs.
In the Fraser Valley Regional District – New evacuation route plan for Boston Bar Electoral Area A.
Amount: $40,000
This round of funding will support projects throughout B.C., including:
- enhancing hazard preparedness for people in the Cowichan Valley Regional District by developing evacuation route plans. This will incorporate map-based and area-specific information plans so people better understand risks and safe routes.
- enhancing preparedness and resilience in Tla’amin Nation through updated evacuation route plans. This project will involve working with BC Ferries, RCMP, Powell River Fire Rescue, and Powell River Search and Rescue to map the best routes by road, water, air and walking. It will also catalogue transport resources and determine the scope and availability of early warning systems so people can evacuate safely and quickly.
- updating evacuation routes and notification plans in Merritt based on community feedback from its experiences with flooding in 2021. This includes community engagement sessions, mapping and workshops for residents to better understand safe evacuation routes and how people will be notified.
The CEPF provides funding to boost community readiness for various natural hazards and climate-driven emergencies. This fund is administered through the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM).
