National Disaster Mitigation Program funding to the Province of British Columbia: Projects at a glance

Backgrounder

Projects are categorized by stream.

Stream 1 – Risk Assessment(s)

Risk Assessment for the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (Eastern portion)

Total Project Value: $315,000

Federal funding: $150,000; Provincial funding: $150,000; Columbia Shuswap Regional District: $15,000

Project Start Date: May 1, 2019 (one year project)

This project will support the development of a comprehensive, up-to-date, searchable database of flood hazards for the Columbia River watershed portion of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District. This work will identify gaps in flood risk as well as support decision making for future land use planning.

Fraser Basin Council Lower Mainland Flood Risk Assessment

Total Project Value: $725,000

Federal funding: $340,000; Provincial funding: $340,000; Fraser Basin Council: $45,000

Project Start Date: May 1, 2019 (one year project)

Several hundred thousand people could be displaced by a large-scale flood in the Lower Mainland and numerous businesses and critical infrastructure would be impacted. This project aims to broaden and deepen the understanding of flood risk in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia to plan for future mitigation projects to reduce the risk of flooding to this densely populated area.

Stream 2 – Flood Mapping

Capital Region Coastal Flood Inundation Mapping

Total Project Value: $751,844

Federal funding: $375,750; Provincial funding: $329,250;

Capital Region District: $46,844

Project Start Date: May 1, 2019 (one year project)

This project will complete a comprehensive coastal inundation digital elevation model and mapping related to future sea level rise due to climate change and tsunamis. This work will help protect the high populated area and its extensive infrastructure.

Flood Hazard Mapping Regional District of Central Kootenay

Total Project Value: $3,060,000

Federal funding: $1,500,000; Provincial funding: $1,500,000; Regional District of Central Kootenay: $60,000

Project Start Date: May 1, 2019 (one year project)

This project will complete flood hazard assessments and mapping of 17 high-risk flood hazard areas in the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK). This mapping will contribute to a better understanding of natural hazards in the area and the staggering cost of responding to these events. This work will ensure surrounding communities are more resilient to flood hazards and will lay the foundation for future land use planning.

Comox Valley Regional District Flood Mapping Project

Total Project Value: $516,500

Federal funding: $250,000; Provincial funding: $250,000; Comox Regional District $1,500; Strathcona Regional District: $15,000

Project Start Date: May 1, 2019 (one year project)

This project will support flood mapping for the entire regional district’s coastline, including a portion of the Oyster River floodplain, as well as coastal mapping to take into account sea level rise, coastal inundation and coastal erosion. This work will ensure surrounding communities are more resilient to flood hazards and will lay the foundation for future land use planning.

Cowichan Lake Rockslide Wave Induced Flood Assessment

Total Project Value: $354,750

Federal funding: $165,000; Provincial funding: $165,000; Cowichan Valley Regional District: $24,750

Project Start Date: May 1, 2019 (one year project)

This project will assess the potential extent and impact of flooding due to a potential rockslide(s) into Cowichan Lake which would generate flooding throughout the Cowichan Lake and River system. This work will contribute to a more accurate understanding of the consequences of rockslide related flooding.

City of Cranbrook/Joseph Creek Flood Hazard Assessment

Total Project Value: $200,000

Federal funding: $100,000; City of Cranbrook: $100,000

Project Start Date: July 1, 2019

This project will support flood mapping for the watercourses which flow through the City of Cranbrook, most notably Joseph Creek. The maps help the City of Cranbrook assess what areas of the community are at risk for flooding as well as the level of rick to help protect the many residences and businesses and vital infrastructure.

City of Dawson Creek Flood Mapping

Total Project Value: $360,125

Federal funding: $167,500; Provincial funding: $167,500; City of Dawson Creek: $17,500; Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure: $4,375; Peace River Regional District: $2,500; Non-Government funding (Dawson Creek Watershed Society): $750

Project Start Date: May 1, 2019

Following a recent Flood Risk Assessment in the fall of 2018, Dawson Creek tributary and community were identified as moderate- to high- risk for the effects of flood events. This project will therefore support flood mapping of these high priority areas to minimize the effects of flooding to things like property, recreational areas and city infrastructure, as well as minimize the strain on emergency responders.

Flood mapping for the Town of Golden

Total Project Value: $274,600

Federal funding: $135,000; Provincial funding: $135,000; Columbia Shuswap Regional District: $600; Town of Golden: $3,000; Non-Government funding (BC Hydro): $1,000

Project Start Date: May 1, 2019

This project will provide flood mapping for the Town of Golden from three watercourses that flow through or border the Town: Kicking Horse River, the Columbia River and Hospital Creek. This work will help increase flood awareness and information available to the Town, update the accuracy of flood mapping and risks in the area and provide a basis for flood mitigation priorities.

City of Quesnel Update Floodplain Mapping

Total Project Value: $251,800

Federal funding: $120,900; Provincial funding: $120,900; City of Quesnel: $10,000

Project Start Date: May 15, 2019

The City of Quesnel has key infrastructure, critical to serving the public and protecting the environment, that are at risk during high water events as they are situated within the floodplain. This project will update the current floodplain map to account for the impacts of climate change and wildfires in the area.

Whistler Flood Mapping

Total Project Value: $572,500

Federal funding: $278,500; Provincial funding: $278,500; Resort Municipality of Whistler: $10,000; Non-Government funding (Kerr Wood Leidal Associated Ltd.): $5,500

Project Start Date: May 1, 2019 (one year project)

Several communities in Whistler have experience damaging floods in the last two decades. Since then, significant urbanization has occurred, further increasing the consequences from floods. This project will provide flood mapping of six high priority creeks and rivers within the Resort’s jurisdiction to inform potential mitigation strategies and emergency planning.

Stream 3 – Mitigation Planning

Nooksack River Overflow Flood mitigation plan

Total Project Value: $260,000

Federal funding: $125,000; Provincial funding: $125,000; City of Abbotsford: $10,000

Project Start Date: May 1, 2019 (one year project)

This project will use specialized software to estimate flood damage under a 100-year (and possibly 200-year) event. The estimate will help the development of mitigation options to reduce the risk of flooding in the area and enable further discussion with stakeholders in the United States related to cross-border flooding issues.

City of Pitt Meadows Flood Mitigation Plan

Total Project Value: $424,000

Federal funding: $206,000; Provincial funding: $206,000; City of Pitt Meadows: $12,000

Project Start Date: May 1, 2019

Approximately 86% of the City of Pitt Meadows lies within the Fraser River and Pitt River floodplains and is susceptible to flooding due to heavy rain. This project will support the development of a Flood Mitigation Plan that will protect residents, farms and businesses within the City of Pitt Meadows and surrounding areas.

District of Squamish – Eagle Viewing/Seaichem Reserve Dike Master Plan

Total Project Value: $290,000

Federal funding: $135,000; Provincial funding: $135,000; Squamish First Nation: $5,000; Squamish-Lillooet Regional District: $15,000

Project Start Date: May 1, 2019

The proposed project will complete a master plan for diking upgrades in the Eagle Viewing / Seacichem Area by engaging with Squamish Nation, private landowners affected by the upgrades and the public. The plan will determine primary objectives, prepare dike design drawings and cost estimates and plan for adjacent land uses and infrastructure to accommodate the required upgrades.

Southlands Flood Mitigation Plan

Total Project Value: $690,000

Federal funding: $345,000; City of Vancouver: $345,000

Project Start Date: May 1, 2019

To address current recurring flooding, the Southlands Flood Mitigation Plan will work from the recommendations of recent Flood Risk Assessment reports to improve the internal drainage of the neighbourhood. This work will help to protect the almost 400 private residences and approximately 2,000 residents living in the area.

Vancouver’s Sea Level Rise Engagement and Design Challenge: Phase 1 (Planning)

Total Project Value: $200,000

Federal funding: $100,000; City of Vancouver: $100,000

Project Start Date: May 1, 2019

The City of Vancouver has completed significant work to assess its vulnerability to sea level rise. The City is now moving into the next phase of its sea level rise planning work, which will involve engaging with residents, businesses and key stakeholders and developing conceptual designs for flood protection and adaption measures in vulnerable neighbourhoods.

Stream 4 – Investment in non-structural or small-scale structural mitigation

Fraser Basin Council – Thompson River Watershed LiDAR Acquisition

Total Project Value: $1,483,413.76

Federal funding: $741,706.88; Provincial funding: $741,706.88

Project Start Date: May 1, 2019 (one year project)

This project will support the development of flood maps for 31 hazard areas within the Thompson River watershed using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data technology to create high resolution three-dimensional topographic maps of the landscape. This work will further support a large suite of community projects within the Thompson River Watershed, including emergency response planning and infrastructure planning.

GeoBC – BC Riverine Floodplain Data Acquisition

Total Project Value: $2,420,800

Federal funding: $1,152,400; Provincial funding: $1,192,400; Regional Districts of BC: $76,000

Project Start Date: April 1, 2019

The project will support floodplain mapping in central and northern British Columbia to enable local authorities to better identify high-risk areas and take appropriate measures for identifying risk, mitigation of risk and future land use and community planning.

Cowichan Valley Regional District – Shawnigan Lake Flood Preparedness

Total Project Value: $129,000

Federal funding: $60,000; Provincial funding: $60,000; Cowichan Valley Regional District: $9,000

Project Start Date: May 1, 2019

This project will support the installation of an automatic gate that will allow for monitoring of water levels and provide early warning of potential flood conditions, enabling the gates to be fully opened to prevent flooding to surrounding communities along the Shawnigan Lake. It will also support the development of public education materials regarding flood preparedness and early warning systems.

City of Richmond – Steveston Highway and No. 3 Road Drainage Pump Stations

Total Project Value: $2,000,000

Federal funding: $1,000,000; City of Richmond: $1,000,000

Project Start Date: May 1, 2019 (one year project)

The entire community of Richmond is contained within the floodplain of the Fraser River and, as its population is rapidly increasing, flood mitigation measures are important to safeguarding the community. The project will support the replacement of existing pumps and to provide protection to the City of Richmond against potential flooding caused by climate change induced sea level rise. 

Contacts

Scott Bardsley
Manager of Media and Communications
Office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
613-998-5681
scott.bardsley@canada.ca

Media Relations
Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657
ps.mediarelations-relationsaveclesmedias.sp@canada.ca

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