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B.C. MLA offers recovery application help for flooded farmers of Fraser Valley

‘Understanding where to even start can be a challenge,’ Chilliwack-Kent MLA Kelli Paddon says
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Flood recovery funding for farmers starts with a three-step application. (Ministry of Agriculture)

Things might be overwhelming for farmers trying to get back into production in the wake of catastrophic flooding last fall.

Chilliwack-Kent MLA Kelli Paddon said anyone in need of help in preparing their application for the Canada-BC Flood Recovery Program for Food Security, can contact her office.

“Understanding where to even start can be a challenge,” Paddon said.

The flood recovery program provides one-time funding for “uninsurable infrastructure repair” and cleanup costs, as well as return-to-production expenses for agricultural producers impacted by 2021 flooding, with their main farmstead in B.C.

When the flood recovery funding was announced, some agricultural producers had already connected directly with Agriculture Minister Lana Popham about the program application process.

“The unprecedented November flooding had profound impacts on our agricultural community and has resulted in the largest agricultural recovery response in B.C.’s history,” Popham said in a statement Feb. 7.

Through $228 million in joint provincial and federal funding they aim to help farmers get their businesses back on track, “while building back better our regional food security and food economy,” Popham said.

There are three steps in the application: Fill out the general application, identify damages and losses, attach required documents to application.

Some have already started working on the paperwork, or contacted staff from Ministry of Agriculture for help, and are all set.

“I wanted to make sure it was clear that anyone who wasn’t in touch or connected with the ministry yet, could contact their MLA’s office,” Paddon said.

They’re not open to walk-ins at constituency offices, and MLAs won’t be there since legislature is in session, but staff can assist anyone who doesn’t know where to start.

Paddon’s office can be reached at 604-858-5299 in Chilliwack and area, 604-796-5270 in Agassiz (and Kent area) or email to kelli.paddon.mla@leg.bc.ca.

RELATED: Flood recovery package $228M

RELATED: Provincial reps, feds working hard on recovery package

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Jennifer Feinberg

About the Author: Jennifer Feinberg

I have been a Chilliwack Progress reporter for 20+ years, covering the arts, city hall, as well as Indigenous, and climate change stories.
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