Invermere, Fernie and the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) have received provincial grants for climate adaptation projects.
B.C. government officials said the grants will aid disaster risk resilience and improve community defences against climate change.
“Climate change is no longer a future concern, it’s happening now and we’re seeing its impact all over British Columbia,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness.
“Our government is committed to helping communities become more resilient by empowering local governments to adapt to the changing climate and better protect themselves and their residents against future climate challenges.”
B.C. officials say about $56 million from the B.C. government will be split between 65 local governments, including three in the East Kootenay.
The District of Invermere will get the largest local grant, with $2.4 million going toward the Paddy Ryan Lake middle dam spillway upgrades.
The RDEK will receive $1.1 million to undertake a hazard, risk and vulnerability analysis across the region.
Meanwhile, the City of Fernie’s $85,000 grant will be used to perform a community hazard risk analysis.
“This funding will help communities tackle current vulnerabilities, minimize the risk of future disasters and support communities to make informed decisions,” said B.C. officials.
The grants are coming from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) through the Disaster Risk Reduction – Climate Adaptation stream.
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