Nearly $300,000 will be spent on emergency preparedness in Coquitlam.
Last week, the provincial government announced $150,000 to the city for its Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability Analysis — a document now in the works — while the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) First Nation will get $145,190 for designing flood mitigation; its two reserves are located by the Coquitlam and Fraser rivers in Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam.
The two projects are part of 46 initiatives in 39 communities that are splitting the $19 million in climate action grants under the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF).
"Helping our communities, especially rural communities and First Nations, be more climate resilient is a priority for our government," said Jennifer Blatherwick, MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville, in a news release. "Funding for a risk assessment in Coquitlam and a project design at Kwikwetlem First Nation to reduce the risk of flooding will pave the way to even safer communities."
Since 2017, the province has doled out $369 million under the CEPF umbrella via the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM).
“As climate change accelerates, the impacts of natural disasters on our communities are rapidly increasing,” said Coquitlam Coun. Trish Mandewo and UBCM president, in a news release.
“Programs like the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund help support local governments as they prepare the infrastructure needed to help B.C. residents withstand emergencies. The variety of projects approved across the province gives a hint of the magnitude of work ahead of us to continue building resilient communities.”
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