Budget 2024 is promising hundreds of millions for emergency management throughout British Columbia.
Finance Minister Katrine Conroy said Thursday (Feb. 22) that the province has allocated $405 million over four years to address and protect against climate emergencies. The province has seen the impacts of climate change 害羞草研究所渢hrough increasingly frequent and severe climate-related emergencies.害羞草研究所�
The $405 million is broken down as $175 million for wildfire response, recovery and infrastructure, and $234 million for projects and programs aimed at decreasing flood risks and strengthening drought resiliency.
Conroy said there are many lessons to be learned from 2023害羞草研究所檚 wildfire season, 害羞草研究所渁 key one being that emergency response is year-round work.害羞草研究所� The province says statutory wildfire funding to respond to wildfires 害羞草研究所渞emains available no matter the cost of a wildfire season,害羞草研究所� but the funding will allow for year-round wildfire response and recovery activities.
For wildfire response and mitigation, the $175 million includes:
害羞草研究所� $56 million for aviation preparedness and response with increased contract funding for helicopter and air tanker services
害羞草研究所� $60 million for the Forest Enhancement Society of BC, which does both community- and industry-focused wildfire risk reduction and fuel management
害羞草研究所� $38 million to support stable, year-round resourcing, including fire crew leaders and front-line staff that provide structure protection, prevention and risk reduction, and wildfire land-based recovery
害羞草研究所� $21 million for a new Prince George equipment depot
The Prince George Fire Centre is the largest fire centre in the province, and was the hardest hit for hectares burned in 2023.
Wildfires burned about 2.9 million hectares of land in B.C. in 2023 害羞草研究所� the worst wildfire season on record. Some of the larger wildfires 害羞草研究所� known as 害羞草研究所渉oldover害羞草研究所� wildfires 害羞草研究所� continue to burn, due to ongoing drought conditions in the province.
Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma said in September, toward the end of the wildfire season, that British Columbians needed to develop a water conservation mentality going forward. In emphasizing the severe drought conditions, she described it as a 害羞草研究所渟leeping giant of a natural disaster.害羞草研究所�
For infrastructure projects and programs to decrease flood risks and strengthen drought resiliency, the $234 million includes:
害羞草研究所� $83 million to expand the Agriculture Water Infrastructure Program, which helps farmers and ranchers manage, collect, transport and store water for agriculture and irrigation purposes.
害羞草研究所� $50 million for water metering pilot programs in 21 communities throughout the province, which will then inform the feasibility of a universal water-metering program. That program is aimed at better conserving water, 害羞草研究所渋dentifying leaks害羞草研究所� and educating users about their actual water use.
害羞草研究所� $10 million to increase water storage capacity and better sustain the required environment water flow by raising the dam height at Saint Mary Lake on Salt Spring Island.
害羞草研究所� $14 million toward replacing the 50-year-old Cowichan Lake Weir through a partnership with the Cowichan Tribes. A higher weir will allow for more water to be stored in the lake, which is an important source of drinking water. The replacement is also aimed better managing water flows to help improve fish habitat in the Cowichan River.
害羞草研究所� $77 million to upgrade the Barrowtown pump station in Abbotsford. That funding was first announced on Feb. 14. The pump station was critical in responding to the November 2021 atmospheric rivers and subsequent flooding in the Sumas Prairie in the eastern Fraser Valley. Upgrades in the funding include a six-metre flood wall, replacing pump motors and replacing sandbags with concrete blocks on North Parallel Road.
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Budget 2024 also expands support for evacuees by funding specially trained Service BC call centre agents who will provide virtual navigation for accessing information and emergency services.
In October 2023, B.C. created the Premier害羞草研究所檚 Expert Task Force on Emergencies to help inform the province how it can use lessons learned from recent climate-related emergencies and apply that ahead of the 2024 season. Recommendations from the task force are expected to be released in the spring.
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