As part of the public-safety funding announced in the 2016 provincial budget, the Province is committing $1.6 million in funding toward a flood mitigation project in the City of North Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver that will protect an important, business area and parkland.
The $2.4-million project includes $334,666 from the City of North Vancouver and $474,461 from the District of North Vancouver.
The combined funding will help the two local governments build a 1,200-meter-long flood protection dike on both sides of Mackay Creek between Marine Dr. and First St.
The new dike, being built on both the east and west sides in a coordinated manner by the two local governments, will increase public safety and protect adjacent residential, commercial and light-industrial lands, as well as public transportation corridors from flooding and its associated costs in lost business and property damage.
Construction is expected to start in the summer of 2017.
In the 2016 budget, the B.C. government announced $65 million to help keep communities safe, including $15 million for public-safety preparedness and $50 million for community hazard-mitigation projects, such as upgrades to dikes and flood protection.
Leading up to 2016 budget, B.C. had invested significantly in flood mitigation and prevention. Since 2008, the Province has invested in 156 projects worth $145 million in total ($62 million provided provincially, $46 million federally and $37 million in funding from the local authority).