BC scores D grade on flood preparedness, ties for last in Canada
Posted October 31, 2016 8:06 am.
Last Updated October 31, 2016 8:11 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
WATERLOO, ON. (NEWS 1130) – A new report finds there is no province in this country which is worse prepared for major flooding than BC. We get a D grade in a report put together by the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo. BC is tied for last place with Prince Edward Island.
A major problem the province has is local governments have control of land planning, and there’s a lack of central oversight from the government to ensure appropriate preparation work is being done.
Professor Blair Feltmate feels the province should appoint a chief adaptation officer. “A person who is actually in charge of the file, keeping track of what are the strengths and weaknesses in reference to preparedness for flooding, and that person has direct reporting to the premier,” explains Feltmate. “The province should probably be a on a five-year cycle, producing an audited report on the state of its flood preparedness.”
The report also finds some dikes on First Nations land don’t meet regulatory standards, and are essentially “weak links” in the flood protection system. “The question is: have the dikes been reviewed? Are they being reviewed on a regular basis to ensure they can maintain the integrity of holding water back when big storms hit? And the performance in that area wasn’t as strong as it could be,” says Feltmate.
There is some good news outlined in the report. It finds most hospitals in Metro Vancouver are well placed to avoid any damage in case of a major flood.
