BC Welcomes Federal Government’s ‘Initial’ $ 5 Billion in Flood Relief | The Canadian News

British Columbia’s Finance Minister says the federal government’s $ 5 billion contribution to flood disaster recovery efforts in the province is a historic amount of cash that reflects the extreme nature of the disaster.

However, Selina Robinson said in a statement Tuesday that the funding is an initial provision of federal dollars and that the evaluation of the total reconstruction costs remains an ongoing process.

“As the province continues the work of assessing the impacts of the recent natural disaster, it is reassuring to know that we are committed to our federal partners that their support will continue as we move from response to recovery and reconstruction,” said Robinson. .

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The dollar figure was revealed in Federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s fiscal update released Tuesday.

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Freeland’s update showed that the federal budget deficit for this year is on track to reach $ 144.5 billion, below the government’s previous forecast of a deficit of $ 154.7 billion.

Record amounts of rain last month caused widespread flooding and landslides in southern British Columbia that crippled transportation routes, inundated farmland and forced thousands of people from their homes and communities.


Click to Play Video: 'West Vancouver Flood Diversion Project Hits a Roadblock'



West Vancouver flood diversion project hits a roadblock


West Vancouver flood diversion project hits a roadblock

The Insurance Bureau of Canada has called flooding and landslides the costliest weather event in British Columbia history and estimated insured damages at $ 450 million, but said the bill will be much higher because much of the damage occurred in high risk areas where flood insurance was found. not available.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Prime Minister John Horgan announced the creation of a joint committee of cabinet ministers to deal with flood repair and recovery earlier this month.

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Horgan said it was premature at the time to make a request for special funding to the federal government, but Trudeau said the federal government will be there for BC.

The British Columbia government has not provided a dollar estimate of the flood damage and subsequent repairs and reconstruction, except to say they will be expensive.

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Princeton Mayor Spencer Coyne said that $ 5 billion is a lot of money, but the repair and recovery work facing the province will be expensive.

“Five billion dollars for the amount of devastation the province has witnessed, I don’t know if it will be enough,” he said.

The floods damaged many businesses and homes in Princeton, he said.

Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun previously said that he estimated that flood damage to agricultural operations and homes in his community was likely to be in the billions of dollars and that it could take years for some people to recover from the losses.

Liberal opposition leader Shirley Bond said it is “an encouraging sign that the federal government recognizes the depth of the loss in our province.”

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