Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance Randy Boissonnault and Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi have announced that over $22 million in federal funding will be provided to help improve infrastructure in the city to reduce flood risk.
The funding will go into projects such as the construction of three new backwater prevention outfall gates at Edmonton’s Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant, which will prevent river water from flowing back into the wastewater treatment plant during storms. Another project in consideration is the creation of a flood barrier along the northern edge of the plant.
The funds will also be used to add automatic gates and sensors to 117 stormwater wet ponds in Edmonton, which converts them into “smart ponds,” a release from Infrastructure Canada said.
“Effective flood prevention and mitigation keep our communities safe,” said Boissonnault. “This federal investment will protect thousands of homes, businesses, and livelihoods in Edmonton against urban flood risks. Our Government will continue to invest in projects like these that build resilient communities and improve the lives of Edmontonians.”
“The City of Edmonton welcomes this additional funding from the Government of Canada to help minimize flood risks and the impacts of flooding on public health and safety,” added Sohi. “Edmonton has world class drinking water, and this funding to protect critical infrastructure will help ensure we continue to have a reliable supply of clean and safe drinking water.”
In November, the Government of Canada announced that it was investing more than $585,000 for a research project led by l'Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). The project – in partnership with the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), the Université Laval and the University of Waterloo – will examine the cost of flooding in the future, and how public policy can help improve Canada’s climate change resiliency.
That month also saw the federal government unveiling the country’s first National Adaptation Strategy – a move that has been met with strong support from the insurance industry.
