Earlier this month Canada’s Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness announced $46,000 funding to the province of Ontario under the National Disaster Mitigation Program (NDMP) to better plan for and prevent the effects of flooding.
This federal funding will support updated floodplain mapping of the Mariposa Brook — last mapped nearly thirty years ago — by the Kawartha Region Conservation Authority. The data from the updated floodplain mapping will help protect people and their property from flooding, as well as provide the City of Kawartha Lakes and Kawartha Conservation with better emergency management and planning information to help guide land-use decisions in the area.
Mark Majchrowski, Kawartha Conservation Chief Administrative Officer, said the project will serve as an important update to the existing floodplain mapping for the area.
“Ultimately with newer technology and processes we will be able to refine the Mariposa Brook floodplain mapping which will provide added surety in protecting people and their property from flooding events, and will also be used in our planning and permitting activity” he added.
The Government of Canada cost-shares up to 50 per cent of eligible expenses for provincial projects and 75 per cent of eligible expenses for territorial projects. Through the Ontario Government, the Kawartha Region Conservation Authority is contributing $46,000 for the Mariposa Brook Flood Area Study.
The Government of Canada is committed to working with provincial and territorial partners on a disaster mitigation approach that will allow us to better identify, plan for and reduce the impact of weather-related emergencies and natural disasters on Canadians.
Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, said:
“Weather-related natural disasters are getting more severe, more frequent, more damaging and more expensive. This is a threat not only to the safety of our communities, but to our economic stability. The Government of Canada is determined to reduce these risks in partnership with provinces and territories. The project announced … will help Ontario better prepare for and respond to flooding.”
Canada’s $200 Million Investment
The NDMP reflects an investment of $200 million over five years, of which $183 million is available for cost-shared, merit-based projects with provinces and territories to reduce the impacts of natural disasters.
Since its inception in 2015, the NDMP has funded 166 projects across Canada that are helping to build safer, more resilient communities.
In addition to investing in provincial and territorial flood mitigation projects through the NDMP, the Government of Canada has created a new $2 billion federal Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund to support the infrastructure required to deal with the effects of a changing climate
