LADYSMITH – New Democrat MLA Doug Routley says that people in the Cowichan Valley will be kept safer in emergency situations thanks to provincial funding to help local governments and First Nations strengthen their plans for emergency evacuation and public notification planning.

“Planning for evacuation routes in Cowichan will help people stay safe in case of emergencies, and get to a safe place when they need it,” said Doug Routley, MLA for Nanaimo-North Cowichan. “This kind of planning ahead is key to climate preparedness in our region and this funding will support our continued work to keep people safe.”

The Cowichan Valley Regional District is receiving $147,500 in funding for East and Central Cowichan evacuation route planning, with regional partners in Duncan, Ladysmith, Lake Cowichan, and North Cowichan.

In total, over $800,000 is being provided to communities across B.C. to support this work to improve emergency evacuation route and public notification plans. Over $164 million has been provided to local governments and First Nations through the Climate Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) for over 1,500 projects to help communities become more climate resilient. This work also supports the Province’s Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy, which outlines a broad range of actions for 2022-2025 to address climate impacts and build resilience across B.C.

Learn More: 
https://news.gov.bc.ca/29348