B.C. communities get $180M boost to prepare for natural disasters linked to climate change

B.C. communities get $180M boost to prepare for natural disasters linked to climate change
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Heavy equipment is used as permanent repairs to the Sumas River dike are seen underway in Abbotsford, B.C., on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022. Local governments and First Nations in British Columbia are getting more support to prepare for the risk of natural disasters related to climate change.

VICTORIA — Local governments and First Nations in British Columbia are getting more support to prepare for the risk of natural disasters related to climate change.

The Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness says it will add $180 million to support projects that help communities prepare for and mitigate the effects of natural disasters.

The ministry says the government’s Community Emergency Preparedness Fund has previously supported projects that include a dike in Merritt, public cooling infrastructure in Victoria and tsunami evacuation planning in Tofino.

RELATED: B.C. flood recovery tempered by fears of new climate disasters looming on horizon

It says it will also now provide a one-stop online platform for communities and First Nations to review flood, wildfire, weather and other hazardous events data that had previously been spread over various government websites.

The program also includes supports for communities to prepare for the effects of extreme cold and heat.

The government says since 2017, local governments and First Nations have received funds for more than 1,300 projects to prepare for natural disasters and climate-related emergencies.

Watch the B.C. government’s news conference below:

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 21, 2023.

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