B.C. unveils flood strategy, adds $39 million in funding for flood mitigation

British Columbia has released a comprehensive flood strategy to help communities reduce risk and respond to extreme events.

Nathan Cullen, minister of water, land and resource stewardship, says the province worked alongside local governments and First Nations to draft the B.C. Flood Strategy, which will be a road map to navigate climate events.

Consultations for the plan began after the historic floods in November 2021 that swamped southwestern British Columbia.

Cullen says the focus will be in four key areas: assessing flood risks with floodplain mapping, increasing communication with local and First Nation governments, better preparing for floods and response, and helping with flood resilience.

Bowinn Ma, minister of emergency management and climate readiness, told the news conference that the province is also adding $39 million to the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund that will go toward more than 50 projects across B.C.

The funding will be used for projects like dike rehabilitation, reinforcing a drainage-pump system, upgrading community centres to operate as gathering places for people during extreme weather and launching watershed restoration projects.