The City of Coquitlam and Kwikwetlem First Nation (KFN) are working together to secure funding towards dike improvements and flood prevention measures along the Coquitlam and Fraser Rivers.
COQUITLAM, B.C., Sept. 27, 2022 – The City of Coquitlam and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm First Nation (KFN) are working together to secure funding towards dike improvements and flood prevention measures along the Coquitlam and Fraser rivers.
A federal and provincial government grant application is being developed for a Joint Flood Mitigation Program that would see shared and coordinated dike improvements, as well as improved flood adaptation and disaster mitigations to protect kʷikʷəƛ̓əm and Coquitlam lands.
Federal and Provincial Funding to Offset Costs
If approved, funding for this grant would come via the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), which has an Adaptation, Resilience, and Disaster Mitigation Program (ARDMP) that provides grants for projects that build, modify, or reinforce public infrastructure to prevent and protect against floods and flood-related hazards.
The latest intake for the ARDMP provides up to $20M for joint applications. The provincial and federal government provide up to 90 per cent of the project funding for Indigenous recipients and up to 73 per cent of project funding for local government applications. If approved for the grant, the City of Coquitlam would provide the remaining 27 per cent of Coquitlam’s share of the capital.
Proposed Improvements and Considerations
The proposed Joint Flood Mitigation Program builds upon existing initiatives, such as Coquitlam’s Climate Change Adaptation Strategic Plan, and previous reports, such as a 2017 floodplain mapping report and a 2019 flood risk assessment.
The program would also include the following key project elements and considerations:
- Access and egress into Colony Farm and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm lands
- Fish habitat improvements
- Protection of the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm cemetery
- Protection of the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm transformer stone
- Consideration of a proposed new dock/boom at the Fraser River and Coquitlam River confluence
- Archaeological investigation
- Existing and anticipated siltation within the Coquitlam River
Grants Free Up Funds for Other Services
As part of its fiscally responsible approach, the City works throughout the year to research and secure grant opportunities and seek corporate partnerships and other funding sources to augment revenue from utility fees and property taxes.
This approach helps the City improve services or deliver projects earlier and with less impact on ratepayers. In some cases, the grants support local services that might not typically be provided by the City but are important for community resiliency.
About the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program
The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program provides long-term, stable funding from Infrastructure Canada to communities across the country. Under the program, over $33 billion in funding is being delivered through bilateral agreements between Infrastructure Canada and each of the provinces and territories.
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