Council unanimously approved an application under the Infrastructure Planning Grant Program for funding towards additional flood protection planning.
The City is looking to identify flood mitigation strategies and scope out the high-risk flood areas including Farrell Street, Regent Crescent, and other parts of the surrounding area.
The grant would fund 100% of the first $5,000 spent and 50% of the next $10,000, for a total of $10,000.
The City would be left with $15,000 of the estimated $25,000 this initiative will cost.
Other goals of the project are reducing operating/flood response costs and redirecting tax resources to more useful actions; improving public safety and community sustainability by addressing annual flooding and reducing risk; improving city infrastructure by protecting a sewer lift station; and, protecting the environment by reducing erosion, protecting habitat and reducing the risk of sewage contamination at a flooded lift station.
This current project will review existing recommended flood control measures from the Northwest Hydraulic Consultants 2009 Flood Risk Evaluation and Flood Control Solutions Phase Two Final Report and, in consultation with local residents, recommends options for reducing risk.
This earlier plan was funded in part via the same program the City is applying for this time around. It included:
- North bank of the Nechako River, west of the John Hart Bridge
- North bank of the Nechako River, east of the John Hart Bridge
- North bank of the Nechako River near the confluence
- Fraser River at Northwood Pulpmill Road
- Fraser River across from Shelley