The Village of Clinton is among 49 B.C. First Nations and local governments that will receive provincial funding to help reduce risks from future disasters related to natural hazards and climate change.
A total of $23.4 million from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) will help communities to better prepare for, mitigate, and respond to climate-related emergencies, such as floods and extreme temperatures.
Clinton will receive $149,150 in the “Foundational Activities (risk mapping, risk assessments, planning)” funding category. The money will go towards floodplain mapping and a flood mitigation plan.
Tlinton’s Chief Administrative Officer Murray Daly said a major part of the work to be undertaken involves looking at the infrastructure of the town’s sewer lagoon, to ensure it won’t be compromised during high water or flooding. The sewer lagoon is on the northern edge of town near the Clinton Pioneer Cemetery.
Daly notes that nearby Clinton Creek is mostly subterranean, but could be impacted by any high water event such as high snowpack or heavy rain. There are also other significant creeks in the area that could be affected.
“We’ll be hiring technical experts to assess the situation and tell us what we need to do,” he says, adding that this is a preventative measure. “We want to be ready for this stuff before it happens. I’m not aware of significant flooding issues in the past, but we want to ensure that our infrastructure is looked after and mitigate unnecessary risk.”
He adds the village applied for funding last year, but the program was oversubscribed. “When it opened this year staff updated the numbers and we applied again.”
A date for starting the work has not yet been determined. Daly said it will likely depend on weather and the availability of appropriate consultants.
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