COQUITLAM – BC NDP MLAs Jennifer Blatherwick, Rick Glumac and Jodie Wickens say that Coquitlam and Kwikwetlem First Nation will be more resilient to climate change, with provincial funding that will better prepare the community to withstand emergencies.
“Helping our communities, especially rural communities and First Nations, be more climate resilient, is a priority for our government,” said Jennifer Blatherwick, MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville. “Funding for a risk assessment in Coquitlam and a project design at Kwikwetlem First Nation to reduce the risk of flooding will pave the way to even safer communities.”
The City of Coquitlam will be receiving $150,000 for disaster risk reduction planning and Kwikwetlem First Nation will receive $145,190 for a flood mitigation project design
Across B.C., 39 communities are receiving approximately $19 million for 46 local projects. The projects will help reduce the impact of future climate disasters by addressing current vulnerabilities and by supporting informed planning and decision making.
“The first steps in emergency preparedness, including new infrastructure, are planning, assessing, and designs,” said Rick Glumac, MLA for Port Moody- Burquitlam, “We know how important it is to support local leaders with plans to make their communities safer, every step of the way.”
“It’s great to see all levels of government work together on projects that help keep British Columbians safe, and help us prepare for potential emergencies,” said Jodie Wickens, MLA for Coquitlam-Burke Mountain. “We know that climate change is a real threat, and that’s why this government has made such strong investments through emergency funding all across the province.”
The Community Emergency Preparedness Fund supports local governments and First Nations to better prepare for disasters and reduce risks from natural hazards in a changing climate in several categories.
The province has invested $369 million into the CEPF since its establishment in 2017. Approximately $300 million has been provided to local governments and First Nations through the CEPF for approximately 2,150 projects. This includes approximately $197 million to support disaster-mitigation and climate-adaptation projects.
Learn More: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025EMCR0001-000060