Province supports community efforts to protect against climate hazards

CANADA, July 10 - The Disaster Resilience and Innovation Funding (DRIF) program provides support to First Nations and local governments for projects that will enhance their ability to withstand and adapt to natural hazards and climate-driven events.

Funding is available in two categories:

• Structural projects
• Foundational and non-structural projects

Local governments and First Nations throughout British Columbia are receiving more than $6 million for 11 projects as follows:

Structural project

Village of Hazelton: Diking infrastructure and flood protection improvements, $3.6 million

Construction of a new 1.2-kilometre dike and upgrade to an existing dike along the Skeena River to protect critical village infrastructure, including historical structures, homes, businesses, utilities and cultural landmarks.

Foundational and non-structural projects

Central Coast Regional District: Disaster risk reduction and climate-adaptation plan, $290,246

Identifies effective multi-hazard risk-reduction options with a climate-change lens to increase the resilience of the region.

Comox Valley Regional District: Goose Spit climate resiliency project, $275,580

Regional partner: K’omoks First Nation

Assessment of Goose Spit’s protection of residential areas and critical infrastructure from flood, sea-level rise, storm surge and erosion, and to help identify mitigation options.

Cook’s Ferry Indian Band: Shetland Creek hazard and risk assessment, $251,265

Increases resilience for the community by better understanding and reducing natural-hazard risks, including flooding, avalanches, landslides and erosion.

Homalco First Nation: Xwémalhkwu Willow Creek flood-hazard assessment and mitigation design, $399,858

Supports community resilience by providing data to support long-term disaster risk-reduction and climate-adaptation projects to address drought and water scarcity, flood and erosion, and to develop a Willow Creek flood-hazard assessment and disaster-mitigation infrastructure design.

Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation: Klemtu dam design, $394,600

Design for a new water supply intake dam to replace the existing dam, which is at risk of failing and poses significant risk to the community. Increases resilience to both flooding and drought.

Lake Babine Nation: Equipment for extreme temperatures, $61,000

Community members will be protected from extreme temperatures, particularly the elderly and those with high-risk medical conditions, and can reduce response costs for emergency care.

Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations: Climate change and disaster risk assessment, $130,000

Supports long-term planning, ensuring the First Nations are better prepared for climate impacts while respecting and integrating Indigenous knowledge and priorities.

Sumas First Nation: Strategic development for hazard risk and vulnerability resilience, $200,750

By prioritizing key mitigation strategies, Indigenous-led resilience and regional co-ordination, the First Nation is better equipped to build long-term community resilience.

Whispering Pines/Clinton Indian Band (WPCIB): Flood risk-management strategy, $400,000

Advances flood-mitigation planning that considers climate change. Results to inform preliminary planning and design work for structural and non-structural projects for WPCIB IR #4.

Yakweakwioose First Nation: Interception ditch climate-resilience project, $138,000

Planning and design for nature-based solutions – a rain garden and urban forest – to support community resilience to extreme temperatures and flooding.