Work on rebuilding Merritt, B.C., dikes stalls, leaving homes at risk

Work on rebuilding dikes in Merritt, B.C., has stalled, leaving more than 1,200 properties at risk of future flooding.

That warning comes from Merritt officials who said while the federal government has committed $46.5 million to the province to rebuild dikes, the work can’t begin until the province funds another $21 million to buy land for the project.

“Unless we get these dikes fixed, it will flood again because we do have certain areas in our community that have no diking at all, it’s been washed away. So between them and the river is the grace of God,” said Merritt Mayor Michael Goetz.

“It’s imperative that we get this contained, that we get the funding to fix these dikes…It is a concern for everybody in the community."

The Coldwater River in Merritt has flooded numerous times, including as recently as late January, though no serious damage was done. The lack of a diking system in Merritt has left residents anxious, particularly those hit hard by the historic floods of 2021. That’s when a series of atmospheric rivers caused $280 million in damage in Merritt.

“It’s scary, you know. Once is enough. I really don’t want it to happen a second time,” said Merritt senior Cherylle Douglas, who has been living in an RV since the mobile home she stayed in was destroyed during the floods two-and-a-half years ago.

“I feel very vulnerable at this point,” she said. “I just watch the river really close.”

“When you see a river that destroyed an entire community and evacuated it for weeks, come up five feet in an hour, people get a little nervous,” said Merritt flood recovery director Sean Strang of the January flooding.

Strang said he's worried if the additional $21 million needed from the province doesn't come soon, allowing the dike rebuilding to begin, the $46.5 million in federal funding could be lost.

“If they don’t do that in five years or get any sort of extension… (the funding) expires and it’s just paid by provincial taxpayers,” he said.

Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, said in a statement to CTV News that, “While the Province is eligible for cost-sharing with the federal government through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements program, Merritt’s access to the approved $46.5 million is not contingent on this.”

“Recognizing the City of Merritt's request for funding towards land acquisition to proceed with dike repairs, staff from the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship and my ministry have a meeting with City officials later this month to explore the next steps,” she wrote.

But Strang said no meeting to discuss this specific issue has been scheduled, though they are anxious to review the matter as soon as possible.

Strang said the city needs to buy private properties because the new dikes will be built higher and wider.

“You need to acquire the land underneath in order to build the infrastructure on top and that's what we’re waiting on,” he said.

The mayor said it will take years to build the new dikes because of environmental constraints.

“Even if we get started this year, there’s only a short amount of window federally the fisheries and oceans allows you to work on the dike," he said.

Goetz noted some residents are still displaced by the floods.

“I have a neighbour across the street whose house is a complete shell – all he’s got is a roof and four walls and he’s living in a motorhome in his front yard, has been for almost two years," Goetz said.

Since the 2021 flood event, the province has committed more than $52 million to support flood recovery and resiliency in the community.