The provincial government recently announced $4.2 million in provincial emergency preparedness funding, a portion of which is heading to the Agassiz-Harrison area.
The Sts’Ailes First Nation will receive $21,685 for reception centres and the District of Kent is set to receive $25,000 for a back-up generator project. More than 100 local government as First Nations communities have been approved for funding as part of the nearly $69.5 million Community Emergency Preparedness Fund to help communities prepare for and respond to disasters.
CEPF funding is divided into two main areas: emergency support services (ESS), which deals with short-term essential support to citizens impacted by disasters, and emergency operations centres (EOC), which funds equipment and emergency training at the community level. The funding for the Sts’Ailes First Nation comes from EOC funding while Kent’s back-up generator is funded through ESS monies.
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The province is investing $2.3 million in ESS funding and $1.9 million in EOCs. The funded projects include evacuation routes, Indigenous cultural safety and cultural humility training, emergency support services and flood mitigation planning.
“I’m pleased to see so much interest from communities across B.C. in improving ESS and increasing the capacity of their EOCs,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “In B.C., local and First Nations governments lead the initial response to emergencies and disasters in their communities, and this funding will help give them the tools necessary to make sure everyone in B.C. impacted by an emergency is looked after and kept as safe as possible.”
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“I know how critical it is to be prepared for any possible emergency scenario,” said Jennifer Rice, Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Preparedness. “When it comes to emergencies in B.C., it’s not a matter of if one will happen, but when. This funding is another step we’re taking as a government to help communities be ready for when disaster strikes.”
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