$16 MILLION FOR FLOOD PROTECTION IN B.C.

MISSION – Communities in all regions of British Columbia – from the Kootenays to Vancouver Island, and from the Interior to the Bulkley Valley – will benefit from a variety of cost-shared flood protection initiatives announced today by the governments of Canada and British Columbia.

Sixteen million dollars will be spent this year on 25 new flood protection initiatives across the province, announced the Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety, on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and B.C. Public Safety Minister John van Dongen. These initiatives include armouring existing dikes for erosion control and building new floodwater pumping stations and flood debris traps under the Building Canada infrastructure plan.

“Strengthening our communities and public infrastructure against the effects of extreme natural events is essential to protecting Canadians,” said Day. “The Government of Canada is taking action to strengthen local emergency preparedness and response capabilities.”

“The significant flooding British Columbia faced in the spring of 2007 clearly demonstrated the unpredictability and the potential danger posed by our rivers and waterways,” said van Dongen. “This event and those we see internationally bring the critical necessity of a solid, well-maintained and expanded protection infrastructure into sharp focus.”

“Today’s announcement is yet another investment the Government of Canada has made to enhance the nation’s emergency preparedness capabilities,” said Randy Kamp, MP for Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge-Mission. “We are investing in infrastructure through Building Canada to increase community safety, help our growing economy, and protect our environment.”

British Columbia’s funding contribution comes from the Province’s $100-million, 10-year Flood Protection Program, announced in 2007 by Premier Gordon Campbell. Projects for 2008/09 were selected based on local government applications that offered the highest level of flood protection in areas at greatest risk.

Through its unprecedented, $33-billion Building Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada provides long-term, stable and predictable funding to help meet infrastructure needs across Canada. Building Canada supports a stronger, safer and better country. Under Building Canada, more than $2.7 billion has been earmarked for public infrastructure projects in the British Columbia from 2007 to 2014.

Since 2007, $59 million in federal and provincial funding has supported 153 flood protection projects in communities across B.C.

For further information on the Building Canada plan, visit www.buildingcanada.gc.ca online.

-30-

Contact:

Catherine Loubier

Director of Communications

Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
613 991-0700

Glen Plummer

Communications Manager

250 953-4062 (office)

250 213-5667 (cell)

Infrastructure Canada

613 948-1148

1 backgrounder(s) attached.


For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.