The Mill Creek floods in 2017 and 2018 devastated residential and commercial parts of Kelowna.
In 2017, the overflow caused $10-million in damage to public property and many more millions to private residences. It impacted Kelowna’s International Airport and caused extreme economic loss.
On Friday, Minister Ralph Goodale announced that the City will receive $22-million in funding from the Government of Canada’s Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund for the Mill Creek Protection project.
“The project will increase drainage solutions and add new off-stream water storage areas. Increase in capacity will not only enhance the city’s ability to regulate water levels but protect homes and businesses from future flooding,” according to Minister Goodale.
“It will also improve fish spawning areas, protect local wildlife, ecosystems and fresh safe drinking water.”
Mayor Colin Basran was there to thank the Minister and express Kelowna’s appreciation.
“We’ve seen how climate change is impacting our community. We’ve seen significant flooding over the last few years and so this will help mitigate that and help alleviate some of the flooding we’ve seen,” said Mayor Basran.
He says the money will be allocated to a group of different projects that will take place along sections of Mill Creek, over approximately the next six years.