'Scale of the flood damage is extraordinary,' B.C.'s deputy premier says as province moves forward with recovery
Three weeks after southern B.C. was hit by the first in a series of atmospheric rivers, the province's deputy premier says efforts are shifting from emergency response to recovery and debris management.
The update came after multiple storms brought record-breaking rainfall, catastrophic flooding and multiple landslides including one that was fatal.
Deputy Premier Mike Farnworth said Monday that he visited flood-damaged areas of Princeton and saw the impacts to various neighbourhoods.
"The scale of the flood damage is extraordinary," he said.
"It's difficult to see people's homes damaged and to hear first-hand the experiences of this disaster. But what I was struck most by is the resilience of the community, their grit and determination to come together and to recover."
Farnworth explained that changes are coming as the province moves from emergency response to recovery and debris management. For example, some members of the Canadian Armed Forces deployed to southern B.C. to help with the flood response are leaving.
About 126 troops will remain, Farnworth said.
"The forces have so far provided enormous help in communities when they needed it most and we would not have gotten through the onslaught of heavy rains without them," he said.
As well, starting on Dec. 15, support to those impacted by the storms will come through the Red Cross with provincial funding, rather than from local governments. Farnworth assured the back-end transition "should be seamless," at that support won't actually change for those who need it.
"It will take time to fully recover from this flooding, but I want to reiterate that all levels of government are here to help," he said.
MORE HIGHWAYS REOPEN
Farnworth and Transportation Minister Rob Fleming also announced more highways are opening in the region.
At the peak of the storms, there were no available routes between the Lower Mainland and the Interior. But over the past few weeks, crews have worked to repair and reopen roads.
In fact, as recently as Monday, Highway 11 connecting Abbotsford and Mission reopened with a single lane in each direction between Hazelwood Avenue and Clayburn Road. B.C.'s transportation ministry said only the southbound lanes were being used and the northbound lanes would remain closed until the highway can be fixed.
As well, travel restrictions limiting Highway 7 to essential trips will lift Monday afternoon. That road between Mission and Hope was set aside for emergency crews and transport trucks to help local supply chains.
Even so, restrictions remain in effect on a number of other routes, including Highway 99 and Highway 3. Fleming said there are no immediate plans to fully reopen either of those two major highways, describing Highway 3 as "crucial" to the province's supply chain.
Farnworth said in the weeks ahead "there is much work that still needs to be done," adding that "the province stands ready to help."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Quebec to limit sperm donations per donor after 3 men from same family father hundreds of children
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
How to overcome 'savings guilt' when you're living paycheque to paycheque
As the higher cost of living continues to squeeze household budgets, many Canadians find they have even less left over at the end of every month to squirrel away for the future.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.