LANGFORD – BC NDP MLA Ravi Parmar says people in Langford and the Malahat Nation will be safer during emergencies, with provincial funding that will better equip local governments and First Nations to reduce the risk of disasters.

“People in our region have experienced the impact and know the risks of extreme weather and climate change,” said Ravi Parmar, MLA for Langsford-Juan de Fuca. “This funding will help Langford acquire and set up misters to help people and pets to cool down in the community when facing extreme heat, and the Malahat Nation to mitigate shoreline erosion in their community.”

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.

In Langford-Juan de Fuca, the following First Nations and local governments are receiving funding from the Disaster Risk Reduction – Climate Adaptation stream:

• Langford – Extreme heat emergency misters
  • Amount: $48,000
• Malahat Nation – Shoreline Erosion mitigation
  • Amount: $ 2.2 million

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.