'Like hoping to win the lottery': B.C. mayors slam federal disaster relief fund after projects denied

Historic flooding in November 2021 devastated the community of Merritt, B.C.

The mayors of three B.C. cities that were hard-hit by flooding in 2021 slammed the federal government Monday, saying they have been denied the financial support they need to rebuild and protect their communities.

Abbotsford Mayor Ross Simens described the move as "absolutely ridiculous" in a media release Monday, where the mayors of Merritt and Princeton echoed his criticism.

The three cities experienced devastating damage when a series of atmospheric rivers swept through the province in November of 2021. Their leaders are now saying that the current federal funding model disadvantages smaller communities, while accusing the feds of abandoning them.

"Senior levels of government promised to support us. They told us this was the way to get it,” said Merritt Mayor Michael G. Goetz, in a statement.

"Honestly, if preventing an almost guaranteed future disaster with a project like this doesn’t make the cut, I can’t imagine what projects in Canada will.”

The $2-billion Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, the mayors said, is administered through a competitive granting process and the projects proposed for the three cities were all rejected.

“It’s like hoping to win the lottery,” said Princeton Mayor Spencer Coyne, in the media release.

"Now we are left vulnerable and trying to find a way to pay for the impacts of global climate change on our own with a population of 3,000 and tens of millions of dollars in costs."

The mayors said they submitted their funding applications in good faith but that the process itself stacks the deck against cities like theirs where there are fewer resources to dedicate to the application process.

"Abbotsford, Merritt and Princeton are left wondering how they will be able to find the funding they desperately need to ensure their communities are prepared in the face of increasing extreme climate events," the news release concludes.

A statement from a spokesperson for federal Infrastructure Minister Sean Fraser, says the fund has provided nearly $180 million for five major flood mitigation projects in B.C., including $7.3 million directed to Abbotsford. It says Ottawa provided the province with $1.4 billion in federal cost-sharing for recovery from the 2021 floods.

"All projects submitted for funding under the (Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund) are assessed on the information provided in the application, particularly when determining hazard risk, resilience, and return on investment," the statement says.

"Infrastructure Canada communicates reasons for decisions directly to applicants, and always offers to answer any questions they might have."

With files from The Canadian Press