The City of Delta will be raising a three-kilometre section of Boundary Bay dike thanks to a $2-million grant from the provincial government.
Using the funding, which was announced by the province on July 11, the city will be initiating a pilot project adjacent to the Boundary Bay Airport between 72nd Street and 88th Street to raise the dike using fill material obtained from large construction projects in the Metro Vancouver area to help reduce costs.
“With future sea levels expected to rise, it is imperative that our dike be raised to adequately protect our community from future potential flooding,” Mayor George Harvie said in a July 31 press release. “I want to thank the provincial government for its commitment to supporting communities across British Columbia, including the City of Delta. This funding is another step towards mitigating local risks associated with climate change and improving flood resilience in our community.”
The funding comes via the province’s Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF). Last month, the province announced it was providing more than $44 million through the CEPF to help local governments and First Nations strengthen their resilience against climate-related hazards such as flooding, drought, wildfires and heat.
The Boundary Bay dike pilot is one of more than 70 projects in 63 communities that are receiving CEPF funding under the Disaster Risk Reduction-Climate Adaptation program stream.
“With the severe flooding, drought and wildfires we’ve experienced recently, we are seeing direct impacts of climate change here in B.C.,” Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Bowinn Ma said in a press release.
“We’re investing in mitigation projects across the province so we can reduce the risk of disasters when they happen. These projects will help communities better protect themselves against climate-related events and increase their resilience in the long run to keep people across B.C safer.”
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editor@northdeltareporter.com
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