NDP MLA says community will be better prepared for climate-related disasters
CHILLIWACK – New Democrat MLAs Kelli Paddon and Dan Coulter say that people in Chilliwack will benefit from funding that will help strengthen their community’s resilience against climate-related hazards such as flooding, drought, and wildfires.
“It’s crucial to make sure our communities are as prepared as they can possibly be for when another climate-related hazard occurs,” says Kelli Paddon, MLA for Chilliwack – Kent. “First Nations and local governments and are coming up with practical and community-specific plans to prepare for emergencies, and it’s important that our government continues to support their efforts in keeping our communities safe.”
In the Chilliwack – Kent area, the following local governments and First Nations are receiving nearly $11 million for disaster risk reduction projects:
- Peters First Nation – Fraser River Flood Control Berm and River Training
Total funding: $1,998,900
- Skwah First Nation – Flood Protection Project
Regional partners: Chilliwack, Shxwha:y Village
Total funding: $5,890,000
- Kent – Chaplin Road Culvert Replacement
Total funding: $1,309,132
- Seabird Island Band – Regional: C1, C2: Stó:lō Geohazard Risk Mapping
Regional partners: Sq’ewlets First Nation, Xwchíyò:m First Nation, Skawahlook First Nation, Union Bar First Nation, Chawathil First Nation, Shxw’ōwhámel First Nation, Yale First Nation, Harrison Hot Springs
Total funding: $1,765,375
“After the flooding that devastated Chilliwack in 2021, our community knows how important it is to be prepared for climate-related hazards,” says Dan Coulter, MLA for Chilliwack. “Continued funding for mitigation is instrumental in making sure that our community members feel safer in emergencies.”
The province is providing more than $44 million through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF), which will go to more than 70 projects in 63 communities under the Disaster Risk Reduction-Climate Adaptation stream. These investments also support the Province’s Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy, which outlines a broad range of actions through to 2025 to address climate impacts and build resilience across B.C.
Learn More: https://news.gov.bc.ca/29181