THIRTY-SIX communities, including First Nations and local governments, throughout B.C. will receive provincial funding to help prepare for extreme heat and keep people safe.
Almost $1.9 million in funding from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) will help communities implement extreme heat projects and strategies, such as extreme heat risk mapping, risk assessments, extreme heat response plans and climate adaptation planning.
“Given the ongoing effects of climate change in B.C. and around the world, we need to ensure that we’re prepared to respond to extreme heat events now and in the future,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General and Minister Responsible for Emergency Management BC, on Wednesday.
“This new funding will be critical in supporting communities to develop their own heat plans and to help protect people, the local environment and local economy from the risks posed by extreme heat.”
CEPF is an important part of the Province’s Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy, and complements the BC Heat Alert and Response System (BC HARS) that launched this year. The $189-million fund is administered through the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) and supports programs that strengthen the resilience of First Nations and local governments to prepare for and respond to natural disasters and climate change.
BC HARS helps ensure people, First Nations and local governments have the tools they need to stay safe during extreme heat. In the event of a heat warning or extreme heat emergency, the provincial government and communities will take appropriate actions based on their individual heat plans and processes.
“We know that heat events will continue to happen more often, so we are taking action to help our communities get prepared and have the necessary resources to deal with these extreme situations,” said Jennifer Rice, Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Preparedness.
“Preparing for and adapting to extreme heat is now a fundamental part of public safety in B.C., and this funding will help ensure communities across the Province are climate ready.”
CEPF is a suite of programs divided into several funding streams, which includes public notification and evacuation planning, emergency support services, and disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, which includes flood-risk reduction.
Since 2017, First Nations and local governments have received more than $50.8 million through CEPF for more than 1,000 projects that help communities mitigate and prepare for disasters and climate-related emergencies.
The Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy is supported by more than $500 million in Budget 2022 to help people and communities throughout British Columbia prepare for climate change effects in the near term, while setting the foundation for future action.
For more information about the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund, visit the Union of BC Municipalities’ website:
BACKGROUNDER
Community Emergency Preparedness Fund for heat preparedness
Local governments and First Nations throughout British Columbia will receive $1,896,821.80 from the provincial Community Emergency Preparedness Fund as follows:
Armstrong, Lumby – Regional: Armstrong/Lumby heat event vulnerable population response planning
Total approved funding: $49,500
Capital Regional District, Langford, Saanich, Sidney and Victoria – Regional: Capital Regional District extreme heat vulnerability mapping dashboard project
Total approved funding: $150,000
Central Coast Regional District – Extreme heat risk mapping
Total approved funding: $30,000
Central Saanich – Extreme heat: Understanding risk
Total approved funding: $30,000
Chase – Heat event vulnerable population response planning
Total approved funding: $23,000
Chetwynd, West Moberly First Nations – Regional: Chetwynd extreme heat plan
Total approved funding: $60,000
Coldstream – Coldstream heat-risk mapping, assessment and planning project
Total approved funding: $29,610
Delta, Tsawwassen First Nation – Regional: Extreme heat risk mapping, assessment and planning for City of Delta (Ladner, Tsawwassen & North Delta) and Tsawwassen First Nation
Total approved funding: $60,000
Enderby – Extreme heat risk mapping, assessment and planning
Total approved funding: $30,000
Kamloops – Extreme heat risk mapping, assessment and plan
Total approved funding: $30,000
Kanaka Bar Indian Band – Extreme heat adaptation plan
Total approved funding: $30,000
Langley Township – Langley’s cool parks
Total approved funding: $30,000
Leq’a:mel First Nation – Extreme heat resilience and capacity building project
Total approved funding: $30,000
Metchosin, Scia’new First Nation – Regional partnership: Heat risk mapping and planning roject
Total approved funding: $58,500
Mission – Extreme heat project
Total approved funding: $30,000
Nanaimo – Extreme heat risk mapping
Total approved funding: $30,000
Nazko First Nation – Extreme heat risk mapping
Total approved funding: $30,000
North Vancouver District, North Vancouver City, Tsleil-Waututh Nation, West Vancouver – Regional North Shore extreme heat vulnerability reduction: Socio-economic and cultural risk assessment and mapping
Total approved funding: $120,000
Okanagan-Similkameen Region, Keremeos, Lower Similkameen Indian Band, Oliver, Osoyoos, Osoyoos Indian Band, Penticton Indian Band, Princeton, Summerland, Upper Similkameen Indian Band – Regional: Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen extreme heat assessment and response planning
Total approved funding: $300,000
Pauquachin First Nation, Tsartlip First Nation, Tseycum First Nation, Tsawout First Nation – Regional: Extreme heat: Understanding risk
Total approved funding: $116,109
Penticton – Extreme heat risk analysis and planning
Total approved funding: $30,000
Revelstoke – Heat emergency plan
Total approved funding: $13,000
Sema:th First Nation – Extreme heat adaptation and evaluation project
Total approved funding: $30,000
Skeetchestn Indian Band – Extreme heat emergency response plan
Total approved funding: $25,600
Skuppah Indian Band – Extreme heat priorities and action plan
Total approved funding: $25,500
Smithers, Telkwa – Regional: Heat emergency resiliency project
Total approved funding: $56,713.80
Spallumcheen – Extreme heat risk assessment and mapping
Total approved funding: $30,000
Squamish – Extreme heat: Understanding risk
Total approved funding: $29,569
Squamish Nation: Extreme heat risk planning
Total approved funding: $30,000
Sunshine Coast Regional District, Gibsons, Sechelt, Sechelt Indian Government District – Regional: Sunshine Coast extreme heat plan
Total approved funding: $120,000
Tahltan Nation – Extreme heat response plan
Total approved funding: $30,000
Tk’emlups te Secwepemc – Heat event vulnerable population response planning
Total approved funding: $30,000
View Royal – Extreme heat: Understanding risk
Total approved funding: $30,00
Whispering Pines/Clinton Band: Extreme heat response plan
Total approved funding: $30,000
Williams Lake, 100 Mile House, Quesnel – Regional: Cariboo urban centre extreme heat assessment and planning
Total approved funding: $89,800
Xeni Gwet’in First Nation – Heat resiliency and climate adaptation
Total approved funding: $29,920
