BC says permanent repairs to Abbotsford’s Sumas levee are now underway

A year after a violent atmospheric river caused devastating floods and landslides BC, a $1.6 billion permanent repair to Abbotsford’s Smas levee is now underway.

Public Safety Minister and Attorney General Mike Farnworth said on Thursday that some water continued to flow into farmland this summer, although temporary repairs were made to the Abbotsford embankment after the floods.

“We are very pleased that the City of Abbotsford is proceeding with permanent repairs to the Sumas Levee with the support of the Indigenous Peoples,” said Farnworth, who expects these repairs to be completed by the end of the month. added.

Farnworth said flooding and landslides had caused considerable sedimentation in many rivers. As of Thursday, he said more than 500 of his debris sites had been cleared of the deposits.

“More work is underway to remove sediments and repair damaged sites and river channels,” he said. “Our government is also working across the border with our neighbors in the South to find solutions.”

Farnworth acknowledged that some residents are still waiting for funding to fix their homes, but there have been major changes to the Disaster Financial Assistance Program, including increasing the amount flood victims are entitled to. Said there was

He said about 84% of requests for assistance have been processed.

“The standouts we know tend to be the more complex pieces of information, and they still require some specific issues. But more than $24 million has already been handed out,” he said. He said.

The November 2021 atmospheric river is one of the state’s most devastating climate change-related weather events. It caused massive flooding in the community, washed away highways, severely damaged farmland, and killed five people.

The federal government has allocated $5 billion for flood cleanup and repairs, but Farnworth said on Thursday that costs could exceed that amount.