To improve the province’s flood resilience, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister has called for the federal government to provide funding for flood mitigation projects.
Manitoba wants the federal government to sign the joint Canada-Manitoba funding agreement for the Lake Manitoba and Lake St. Martin Channels Project. The project will involve the construction of two diversion channels, in addition to several bridges and water control structures.
“Our consultations are underway already,” Pallister said.
The flood projects come a decade after the severe flooding event in Manitoba that occurred in 2011, which caused $2 billion in damages.
“We have every First Nation that’s affected signing on, and we’re working through the consultation process with them as is required by federal legislation,” the premier added.
The provincial government had revealed that it had held 74 meetings with Indigenous communities and impacted groups to consult about the project, and had spent $5 million in environmental impact assessments.
Manitoba said that in June 2018, both the provincial and federal governments announced an agreement in principle to cost-share the flood mitigation project. CTV News reported that the project is expected to cost $540 million.
