Whereas the FireSmart Mitigation Rebate program, funded by the provincial CRI FireSmart Community Funding and Supports Program is a useful and popular component of municipal FireSmart hazard mitigation programs and the current reimbursement maximums were set, and have remained unchanged since program inception, in 2019: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the provincial government to review the guidelines restricting reimbursement maximums to 50 of eligible costs, to a maximum of 500 per property, with consideration to increasing these financial incentives to motivate more property owners to participate in the Firesmart rebate programs offered by local governments.
Ministry of Forests The BC government strongly supports the efforts of local governments and First Nations to reduce wildfire risks in and around their communities by completing fuel management projects, developing Community Wildfire Resiliency Plans and implementing FireSmart principles. As part of Budget 2022, the BC government invested 90 million to expand and continue the FireSmart Community Funding and Support program to help homeowners and communities to take action to increase wildfire resiliency. Based on participant feedback, several key changes have been made to the 2023 FireSmart Community Funding and Supports Program including funding extensions, streamlined applications and reporting, and more incentives for home and property owners to increase wildfire resiliency. Approved applicants can use grant funding to offer local rebate programs to residential property or homeowners that complete eligible FireSmart activities on their properties. The 2023 program has an increased rebate limit to 1,000, up to 50 of the total cost of the eligible activities. Applicants can also increase local capacity by applying for funding for FireSmart positions to expand community emergency management capacity, structure protection training and new equipment for communities and homeowners.