The first joint application ever submitted by kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) First Nation and the City of Coquitlam to seek money to raise the dike along the Fraser and Coquitlam rivers proved a success.
Today, Aug. 15, senior government and municipal leaders announced nearly $20 million to lift the dike around IR1, a 6.5-acre parcel within Coquitlam that’s next to Metro Vancouver’s ƛ̓éxətəm Regional Park, formerly known as Colony Farm.
One-third of Kwikwetlem members call IR1, or slakəyánc, home.
Kwikwetlem Coun. John Peters, who is in charge of emergency management at IR1 and IR2, within Port Coquitlam, told the crowd that “while historical grievances remain, this is a step toward true reconciliation” to safeguard the community whose lands have flooded more than 20 times over the past century.
Besides housing and office buildings on IR1, the non-standard dike has also put the Nation’s cemetery at risk, as it’s believed there are 100 bodies at the site near the Sheep Paddocks Trail.
Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam MP Ron McKinnon confirmed the outdated existing flood mitigation infrastructure poses a threat to the area, the park, regional transportation and the Mayfair Industrial Park.
kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) First Nation & City of Coquitlam to establish joint local flood mitigation program by way of a $11.4M+ federal grant 🌊 MP Ron McKinnon says money is coming from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure program | #CoquitlamBC #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/XrwYLprSMd
— Tri-City News (@TriCityNews) August 15, 2024
And with the extreme weather over the past few years, signalling climate change, boosting the 4.5-km dike system is crucial, added Port Moody–Coquitlam MLA Rick Glumac, noting the spring freshet, summer heat and wildfires, and the fall/winter rainfall.
In some sections, the dike will go up by two metres, city staff say.
The project also aims to improve the fish habitat and install new flood boxes for water connectivity, and to prevent back flow.
“Water doesn’t pay attention to borders,” Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart recalls a time when he & his son helped fill sandbags, noting kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) First Nation has long been at risk of flooding | #CoquitlamBC #cdnpoli #bcpoli pic.twitter.com/opdwGT1FSo
— Tri-City News (@TriCityNews) August 15, 2024
Here’s who is contributing to the $19.9-million government grant:
- Federal government
- $11,487,350
- via the Green Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program
- Provincial government
- $4,827,684
- City of Coquitlam
- $2,670,000
- kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) First Nation
- $992,966
In total, more than 125 infrastructure projects under the Green Infrastructure Stream are being announced today around B.C.
The Coquitlam–KFN bid to raise the dike was submitted in 2022 with both agencies requesting the full amount available; Port Coquitlam and Metro Vancouver also signed letters of support.
“Climate change is affecting all of us,” Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart said at the news conference. Coquitlam Couns. Matt Djonlic and Brent Asmundson, and KFN Coun. George Chaffee, were also on site for the announcement (KFN Chief Ron Giesbrecht did not attend).
Work on the dike is expected to start in 2027 and last two years.
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