State of emergency in place because of B.C. floods extended into the new year

Highway 5 repairs are seen on Dec. 20, 2021. (Province of BC/Flickr)

B.C. will remain under a state of emergency more than a month after the province was hit by a series of atmospheric rivers that led to catastrophic flooding and mudslides, the deputy premier announced Monday.

B.C.'s state of emergency due to flooding was first put in place on Nov. 17. Extended for another two weeks, it'll now be in effect until Jan. 11, unless it's lifted earlier or renewed.

"While significant progress has been made in recovery and repair efforts, there is still more to do to reopen our highways and get people back into their homes," said Deputy Premier and Minister of Public Safety Mike Farnworth in a news release.

"My thanks go out to all British Columbians for their patience and compliance during these challenging times, and to the crews who have worked tirelessly to get these highways back open."

The province explained there is still need for public safety measure in place under the Emergency Program Act, including travel orders restricting who can take Highway 5 and Highway 99.

For example, on the Coquihalla Highway, only inter-city buses and commercial vehicles with a minimum gross vehicle weight of 11,794 kilograms are permitted. Other drivers can use Highway 3 to travel between B.C.'s Lower Mainland and Interior, but should check DriveBC for up-to-date road conditions.

"Reopening the Coquihalla to commercial trucks and intercity buses was an important step in our recovery from November’s storm damage,” Rob Fleming, minister of transportation and infrastructure, said in the news release.

"Repairs to our highway infrastructure are progressing well. However, with winter conditions here and more work to do, some restrictions must remain in place."

By default, a state of emergency remains in place for two weeks, at which time it can be renewed. However, they can also be called off at any time.