Whereas current funding programs for flood mitigation requires 13 of project funding from local government as well as requiring that the local government assume ownership of the works for a period of 10 years, in some cases resulting in an unrealistic burden on affected taxpayers; And whereas the financial inability of residents to meet the requirements of the current funding program often precludes a planned proactive approach to known flood issues to minimize environmental impacts associated with mitigative works and instead results in a reactive approach when an imminent threat occurs, resulting in greater costs and greater environmental damage, in addition to the traumatic and sometimes devastating impacts on affected residents: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the Province to develop programs that take a proactive approach to flood mitigation rather than continuing to try to download additional responsibilities on local governments that are ill-equipped and lacking in financial capacity to address these situations in a proactive manner that best respects the residents and the environment.
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General The Province, led by Emergency Management BC, continues to partner with the federal government on flood mitigation funding programs such as the National Disaster Mitigation Program NDMP and Adaptation, Resilience, Disaster Mitigation ARDM program. In addition, through EMBC, the Province has funded the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund CEPF, a program administered by UBCM that includes funding for flood risk assessments, mapping, mitigation planning and structural mitigation. Since 2017, Emergency Management BC has provided 123 million in Provincial funds to 342 local government and First Nation flood mitigation projects. These programs have also leveraged an additional 92.8 million in federal funding, for total government investment of over 215 million in BC. These provincial programs have not required any local financial contribution. Emergency Management BC continues to work with the federal government on new and expanded flood mitigation and climate adaptation funding programs that consider an equitable approach capacity for smaller local governments and First Nations to reduce flood risk. Municipalities and Regional Districts are best positioned to own and maintain these assets, and to incorporate them into existing asset management programs. This can support an integrated hazard and emergency management program for the community. Local government ownership also allows for increased access to senior government funding, greater legal access, more coordinated land use planning and development approval, and amalgamation with other services. This local ownership requirement is consistent across all Provincial grant programs and is not limited to flood mitigation.