Canadian municipalities get help to reduce flood risks
December 1, 2022
Nation invests to protect critical infrastructure.
By investing in infrastructure, the Government of Canada seeks to increase the resiliency of local communities, grow the overall economy, and improve the lives of its residents.
Terry Duguid, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South, and His Worship Larry Johannson, Mayor of the City of Selkirk, announced a $5.9 million federal investment to build infrastructure that mitigates flooding in Selkirk, Manitoba.
The new Storm Water Management Capacity Building Program comprises three projects to protect residences, businesses, roadways and essential infrastructure in the prairie city. A new retention pond will capture storm water to reduce overland flooding risk during intensifying rainstorms and incidents of increased snowmelt runoff.
A separation program will divide stormwater runoff from wastewater within Selkirk’s combined sewer network, reducing basement flooding, sewage backup and overflow events. Improvements to existing retention ponds is also anticipated; aeration systems will discourage algae growth and help protect natural ecosystems.
“…Severe weather events like the flooding Manitoba faced last spring… damaged homes, forced evacuations, collapsed roads, eroded riverbanks, and closed some bridges, blocking off entire communities,” commented Terry Duguid, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South
He continued, “Investments in disaster mitigation infrastructure help provide …tools to safeguard communities against the effects of climate change. Our Government is proud to be working proactively with partners to help protect Manitobans’ homes, livelihoods, and communities.”
Notes
- National funding for these projects comes from the Disaster and Mitigation Adaptation Fund (DMAF), the $2 billion, 10-year program launched in 2018. Through Budget 2021, the Government of Canada invested an additional $1.375 billion over 12 years in the DMAF.
- Federal funding is conditional on fulfilling all requirements related to consultation with Indigenous groups and/or environmental assessments.
- On 24 November2022, the Government of Canada released Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy: Building Resilient Communities and a Strong Economy. It commits $1.6 billion in new federal funding to help address both immediate and future climate risks to Canadian communities.