WHEREAS the Province of British Columbia assumes incident command and provides on-site response for wildland interface fires; AND WHEREAS within the province of British Columbia there are a large number of waterways subject to periodic, sudden and extensive flooding; AND WHEREAS overland flooding has potentially profound adverse consequences in terms of life safety, private and public property interests, economic prosperity and public infrastructure; AND WHEREAS the Province of British Columbia is the steward of the water resources within the province; AND WHEREAS local authorities lack the mandate, statutory jurisdiction, financial and technical resources, equipment and staff necessary to provide emergency site response, mitigation and flood remediation works: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Province of British Columbia take immediate and direct responsibility for flood management including but not limited to: - identification of flood related hazards; - remediation of stream channels so as to mitigate future flooding; - monitoring of stream flows and levels in waterways posing a risk to life, safety or property; - responding to sudden cessation of stream flows or reports of debris dams; - executing tactical evacuations when warranted; and - communicating with the Emergency Operations Centre.
Ministry of Justice The Province recognizes that flood protection is a shared responsibility and success is dependent upon support from all levels of government. BC has taken on significant flood mitigation actions. Since 2008, the federal and provincial governments have partnered to protect communities across British Columbia by committing to 138 flood mitigation projects worth nearly 127 million in 60 communities through Emergency Management BCs Flood Protection Program. The Ministry of Forests and Natural Resource Operations provides monitoring of hazards, stream flows and water courses to monitor potential threats and hazards. All information gathered is used by provincial agencies to provide ongoing support to local governments prior to, during and after a flood event and is typically shared with local authorities via Emergency Management BC coordination calls. All local authorities responsibilities with regards to emergency management are outlined in the Emergency Program Act. The Province supports local authorities in preparing for, responding to and recovering from emergency incidents and events. Local authorities and residents have on the ground knowledge of their respective areas. The Province looks to the local authorities to identify local risks and to develop and implement plans to lessen these risks. In emergency situations, if a sudden cessation of stream flow occurs or changes in water characteristics are observed, citizens should call 9-1-1. For flooding or landslides, citizens should call the EMBC 247 Emergency Coordination Centre and evacuate or take required precautions. Evacuations are the responsibility of the local government and must be initiated by on-site personnel. The local authority can contact EMBC through the 247 Emergency Coordination Centre to request provincial support through the activation of a Regional Emergency.