July 9, 2020
Victoria — Twenty-four local governments and First Nations communities have been approved to receive $3.46 million in provincial emergency preparedness funding, including $500,000 for Haida Gwaii Communities in North Coast.
This funding is part of the nearly $69.5 million Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF), designed to help communities prepare for, and respond to, disasters.
This investment through the CEPF will help communities prepare for emergencies by providing funding for flood risk assessment, flood mapping and flood mitigation planning. The Province is supporting eligible applicants to ensure they have accurate knowledge of the flood hazards they face and to develop effective strategies to mitigate and prepare for those risks. The maximum available funding is $150,000.
“I have seen first-hand the loss and devastation catastrophic flooding can have on people, families and entire communities,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “In order to reduce the effect of flooding on people and their livelihoods, we are investing now to support flood risk assessments, mitigation and planning work. These projects help create resiliency by improving the capacity of local government and First Nations to respond to and recover from severe flooding events.”
The total investment from this funding intake so far is $3.46 million, but additional projects may receive funding once details are finalized. Since the September 2017 Budget Update, communities and governments throughout B.C. have received more than $52 million through the CEPF.
“Preparation and mitigation are two critical pillars of emergency management,” said Jennifer Rice, Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Preparedness. “Knowing which hazards exist and how to address them is a cornerstone of preparedness. I’m proud of our government for providing the necessary tools before a disaster hits to lay a strong foundation for improved response and recovery outcomes in our communities. I’m also encouraged to see co-operative projects between communities like Haida Gwaii and northwest Vancouver Island around regional tsunami mapping.”
The CEPF is a suite of programs designed to enhance the resiliency of local and regional governments, First Nations communities and their residents. The Province provides the funding, which is administered by the Union of B.C. Municipalities and divided into seven streams:
- Flood risk assessment, flood mapping and flood mitigation planning
- Emergency support services
- Emergency operations centres and training
- Structural flood mitigation
- Evacuation routes
- Indigenous cultural safety and cultural humility training
- Volunteer and composite fire departments equipment and training