NDP MLAs Pam Alexis and Bob D’Eith say Fraser Valley Regional District and the City of Mission will benefit from additional flood recovery funding

MISSION– New Democrat MLAs Pam Alexis and Bob D’Eith say the Fraser Valley Regional District and the City of Mission will benefit from nearly $1.7 million in new provincial funding to support recovery work. Mission is one of ten communities in B.C. that was impacted by the November 2021 floods.

“In the aftermath of the floods, I’ve heard the clear call from residents and local government leaders that we need to build back better,” said Pam Alexis, MLA for Abbotsford-Mission “This new funding will help communities like Abbotsford in rebuilding critical infrastructure to a more resilient standard, better protecting people and communities in the Fraser Valley from future climate events.”

The local governments of Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Cowichan Valley Regional District, Fraser Valley Regional District, Hope, Kent, Merritt, Mission, Princeton, and Thompson-Nicola Regional District are all receiving direct grants from the $53.6 million in provincial funding to assist them in meeting the additional pressures of on-going recovery and infrastructure planning.

“Our communities rallied together to support each other after November’s devastating floods. Recovery continues to be a team effort as we work together with the City of Mission and the FVRD to fund flood preparedness, recovery, and resilience,” said Bob D’Eith, MLA for Maple Ridge-Mission.

The Fraser Valley Regional District will receive $1.625 million dollars to assist with initial recovery costs, including debris clean-up, bank stabalization and addressing infrastructure damaged by flooding. 

In Mission, a $50,000 grant is intended to assist with recovery by contributing to planning work for drinking water quality and for costs related to alarm response at sewer lift stations. 

This funding is in addition to the more than $2.1 billion Budget 2022 provides to help people recover from the floods and wildfires of last year and to better protect communities against future climate disasters. As well as the $228 million in federal-provincial funding provided to B.C. farmers who suffered extraordinary damages during the November floods.

For more information on Canadian Red Cross services and how to access them, call 1 800 863-6582, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Pacific time), or visit: https://www.redcross.ca/how-we-help/current-emergency-responses/2021-british-columbia-floods-and-extreme-weather

British Columbians can access the Disaster Financial Assistance application online: http://www.gov.bc.ca/disasterfinancialassistance