Justin Trudeau flying to B.C. Friday to visit flood-ravaged Abbotsford
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is flying into British Columbia on Friday to visit the flood-ravaged Fraser Valley community of Abbotsford, which remains partially underwater as more atmospheric rivers head toward the province.
Trudeau is scheduled to meet with Deputy Premier Mike Farnworth, Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun, Sumas First Nation Chief Dalton Silver and Matsqui First Nation Chief Alice McKay when he touches down in the community, according to his itinerary.
He's also expected to meet with Canadian Armed Forces members who have been helping with B.C.'s flood response and storm preparation, as well as first responders and volunteers.
The itinerary doesn't specify when the prime minister is expected to arrive in Abbotsford. He's first scheduled to visit Montreal and meet that city's mayor at 8:45 a.m.
After leaving the Fraser Valley, Trudeau is expected to head for Victoria to meet Premier John Horgan, who was recently diagnosed with throat cancer but has remained on the job.
The two leaders are scheduled to hold a joint media availability at 5:30 p.m.
Much work has been done to reopen B.C. highways and clean up flood-impacted communities since last week's historic storm, but there is still a long road to recovery.
On Thursday, the province revealed the busy Coquihalla Highway, which was damaged or washed away at about 20 different points, isn't expected to reopen until late January.
Abbotsford officials also estimated it will be weeks before the remaining floodwater is pumped out of the eastern Sumas Prairie.
Mayor Braun said crews have been working hard to brace for more wet weather, but noted there are ongoing concerns around the Nooksack River, located outside B.C.'s jurisdiction in Washington state. Flooding from that river is said to have severely exacerbated the situation in Abbotsford last week.
A less severe storm reached B.C.'s South Coast on Thursday, and two more are expected over the coming days. Officials have said the one forecast to arrive on Tuesday will be the worst of the three.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
NEW Iconic Canadian song turns 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Prince Harry, Meghan arrive in Nigeria to champion the Invictus Games and meet with wounded soldiers
Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, arrived in Nigeria on Friday to champion the Invictus Games, which he founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans, among them Nigerian soldiers fighting a 14-year war against Islamic extremists.
Countries struggle to draft 'pandemic treaty' to avoid mistakes made during COVID
After the coronavirus pandemic triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies and killed millions, leaders at the World Health Organization and worldwide vowed to do better in the future. Years later, countries are still struggling to come up with an agreed-upon plan for how the world might respond to the next global outbreak.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.