The District of West Kelowna has submitted an application to British Columbia’s Flood Protection Program (FPP) for $510,000 worth of flood mitigation works at McDougall Creek. The provincial government has committed to paying two-thirds ($340,000) of the cost, on the condition that the district cover the last third. The funding will help prevent localized flooding threats from moving upstream.
“I have met McDougall Creek residents who told me about the heartache of wondering whether their property would be flooded almost every single year,” said BC Premier Christy Clark. “I promised to help then find certainty, and this funding delivers a cost-effective, long-term flood protection solution for West Kelowna.”
The region is known to be at a high risk of flooding, and has endured several such events in the recent past. Since 2012, the province has allocated more than $106,000 in recovery funds for the district and its citizens. “Flooding from McDougall Creek has been an ongoing issue for our community for a number of years, impacting local families and resulting in costs to the local government,” said West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater.
“Clearly this is just one of many trouble spots across our province, and flooding is also not our only hazard,” said Attorney General and Justice Minister Suzanne Anton. “The federal government is consulting on a new national disaster-mitigation program that will help us partner with communities to address a broader range of hazards.”
