The Insurance Bureau of Canada is praising the Manitoba government’s decision to provide over $400 million in funding for emergency response and mitigation.
Specifically, the provincial government fund is comprised of a one-time capital investment of up to $45 million for damage prevention and climate resilience measures, and $3 million for spring flood preparedness. The fund will be spent according to the priorities set by a panel of representatives from the Association of Manitoba Municipalities, the Winnipeg Metro Region, and the provincial government – which includes the Climate and Green Plan Implementation Office.
“As the frequency and intensity of severe weather events, such as floods, are escalating, we want to work with the government on adaptation measures, like the ones recently announced, to better protect Manitobans. IBC and its members applaud the Manitoba government’s investment,” said IBC Western vice-president Celyeste Power in a statement.
Manitoba is also earmarking $380 million for a new communications system, to be used over a multi-year period to improve the communication channels of police, firefighters, paramedics, conservation officers, and forest fire crews.
The cost of the communications upgrade will not be borne by the municipalities, Premier Brain Pallister said when he first unveiled the fund at a recent Association of Manitoba Municipalities conference.
According to a report produced by the IBC in collaboration with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, it would take about $5.3 billion per year across all three orders of government (federal, provincial, municipal) to prevent the adverse impacts of climate change at municipal level.
