B.C. unveils flood strategy, adds $39 million in funding for flood mitigation

Catastrophic flooding in British Columbia that caused billions in damages to infrastructure, property and homes has resulted in a new comprehensive flood strategy to help communities reduce risk and respond to extreme events.

Nathan Cullen, minister of water, land and resource stewardship, told a news conference Thursday that the province worked alongside local governments and First Nations to draft the B.C. Flood Strategy, which will be a road map to navigate climate events.

“Floods, similar to droughts, historically were very localized, very short term,” he said. “But like droughts, now we perceive, with the effects of climate change, that floods will be much larger region-wide and have much larger impacts, hence the need for a flood strategy that incorporates ... all communities.”

The Insurance Bureau of Canada lauded the announcement, calling it an important step as more than 200,000 B.C. households remain at “high risk of flood damage.”

A series of atmospheric rivers swamped southwestern B.C. in November 2021, washing away portions of eight major highways, while cutting traffic flow between the

Lower Mainland and the rest of B.C. A landslide washed over a section of Highway 99, between Pemberton and Lillooet, killing five people.

The repair bill would be in the billions.

Farms, homes and portions of communities were inundated, causing over $675 million in insured flood damage, the insurance bureau said in a statement Thursday.

The disaster showcased the need to better understand flood risks, the bureau said.

Consultations for the new plan began shortly after the 2021 floods.