BC NDP MLAs say Greater Victoria will be better equipped to defend against climate change

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VICTORIA – BC NDP MLAs Grace Lore, Murray Rankin, and Rob Fleming say people in Victoria, Oak Bay, and Saanich will be safer during emergencies, with provincial funding that will better equip local governments and First Nations to reduce the risk of disasters.

“In a changing climate, communities, including the Capital Regional District, are concerned about water levels and conservation, especially during our drier, warmer months,” said Grace Lore, MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill. “This funding for water level signage will help keep the community aware of restrictions and prepared as we experience shifting water levels.”

Sixty-five communities across B.C. will receive approximately $56 million for 78 projects from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) through the Disaster Risk Reduction – Climate Adaptation stream. This funding will help communities tackle current vulnerabilities, minimize the risk of future disasters and support communities to make informed decisions in the future.

“Many people in Oak Bay live beside the shoreline or a just a few steps away, and know that shoreline erosion can have lasting negative impacts on our community,” said Murray Rankin, MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head. “This funding will help ensure that erosion can be better addressed and mitigated in McNeill Bay.”

In Greater Victoria, the following local governments are receiving funding from the Disaster Risk Reduction – Climate Adaptation stream:

  • Capital Regional District – Climate adaptation risk assessment; Community drought level awareness signage
    • Amount: $200,000
  • Oak Bay – McNeill Bay coastal erosion mitigation project
    • Amount: $150,000
  • Saanich – Green Infrastructure and climate resiliency demonstration project, Tillicum Elementary School
    • Amount: $396,865
  • Victoria – Gorge coastal flood adaptation strategy; HVAC installation for community cooling centres
    • Amount: $817,500

“As we see ongoing impacts of climate change and extreme weather, it’s important to educate people about the importance of climate resilient communities, and how we can proactively adapt,” said Rob Fleming, MLA for Victoria-Swan Lake. “This funding will help create a demonstration project in Saanich to educate and inform people about climate-resilient infrastructure, and help Victoria create more community cooling centres to be able to protect more people when they need it.”

The CEPF helps communities to better prepare for and mitigate the impacts of climate-related emergencies by funding local projects and initiatives in several categories. These include disaster-risk reduction and climate adaptation, public notification and evacuation-route planning, and emergency operations centre equipment and training. The Province has invested $369 million into the CEPF since its establishment in 2017. Approximately $279 million has been provided to local governments and First Nations through the CEPF for approximately 2,100 projects. This includes approximately $176 million to support disaster-mitigation and climate-adaptation projects.