Canada helps protect Chatham-Kent from flooding

CHATHAM-KENT, ON, March 28, 2019 /CNW/ - Now more than ever, communities need help adapting to the frequent and intensifying weather events caused by climate change. Reducing the impact of natural disasters such as flooding is critical to keeping Canadian families safe, protecting local businesses and supporting a strong economy.

Marco Mendicino, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities and His Worship Darrin Canniff, Mayor of Chatham-Kent, today announced funding for a major flooding mitigation project in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent that will make communities in the surrounding area more protected to natural disasters.

The project involves reinforcing shorelines on the Thames River, Sydenham River and McGregor Creek, and ensuring that local essential services have the increased capacity needed to manage extreme weather events. The 6th Street Dam will also be replaced in order to reduce potential flooding and ice jams from the nearby rivers. Increasing the capacity to handle storms will reduce property damage and provide over 56,000 residents with a safer and healthier community for years to come.

The Government of Canada is investing over $16.5 million to this project through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, with the Municipality of Chatham-Kent providing the remainder.

Quotes

"Preparing our communities by taking important steps to adapt to climate change is essential in reducing the devastating impacts of natural disasters on Ontario families and businesses. By investing today in flood and storm mitigation projects in Chatham-Kent, we are minimizing the costly effects of future weather hazards from bodies of water like Thames River. This helps protect homes and businesses, maintain safe drinking water, and enable families and their children to prosper for generations to come."

Marco Mendicino, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"Extreme weather is becoming more severe, more frequent, more damaging and more expensive because of climate change. By investing in the infrastructure that protects our neighbourhoods, businesses, and families, we are building communities that can withstand future natural disasters and thrive for generations to come."

The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety

"High water levels during the last two years have tested our flood control measures to their capacity and beyond. The extensive work needed to protect residents and property along the Thames and Sydenham rivers would present an enormous burden on local taxpayers. We are extremely grateful that the federal government is aware of the issue and, more importantly, has stepped forward in partnership to help."

His Worship Darrin Canniff, Mayor of Chatham-Kent

Quick facts

• The Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF) is a $2-billion, 10-year program to help communities build the infrastructure they need to better withstand natural hazards such as floods, wildfires, earthquakes and droughts.
• Announcements in Budget 2019 build on the Government's Investing in Canada Plan, under which the Government is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years to build infrastructure in communities across the country. 
• Investing in green infrastructure that helps communities cope with the intensifying effects of climate change is an integral part of Canada's transition to a more resilient, low-carbon economy, which is among the commitments made under the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change.
• Budget 2019, Investing in the Middle Class, is the government's plan to create more good well-paying jobs, put homeownership within reach of more Canadians, help working people get the training they need to succeed, support seniors, and lay the foundation for national pharmacare.
• With many municipalities across Canada facing serious infrastructure deficits, Budget 2019 proposes a one-time transfer of $2.2 billion through the federal Gas Tax Fund to address short-term priorities in municipalities and First Nations communities.

Associated links

Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/dmaf-faac/index-eng.html

Investing in Canada: Canada's Long-Term Infrastructure Plan:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/icp-publication-pic-eng.html

Federal infrastructure investments in Ontario: https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/investments-2002-investissements/on-eng.html

Investing in Canada plan project map: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/gmap-gcarte/index-eng.html

Budget 2019: https://www.budget.gc.ca/2019/home-accueil-en.html

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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada