Ottawa to provide B.C. $870 million dollars for disaster recovery support

As another natural disaster unfolds in B.C., the federal government has announced advance payments to help the province recover from severe flooding last November.

The federal emergency preparedness minister says Ottawa is providing $870 million to support recovery efforts.

Bill Blair says the money is the first payment for part of a commitment Ottawa made in the immediate aftermath of the severe weather, with more to come.

“Climate change is threatening communities across Canada, and we need to keep our partnerships strong as we prepare for and work to prevent natural disasters and extreme weather events,” said Blair.

“We will continue to build on the important work of the past sevens months as we strengthen our shared emergency response systems.”

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The B.C. government requested about five billion in financial aid and Blair says the money will come from the disaster financial assistance program.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says it usually takes some time for provinces to access the assistance, so the advanced payment is important, and the money will be used to ensure B.C. is “building back better.”

“British Columbia was hit hard last year by multiple devastating disasters, affecting thousands of people across our province,” said Farnworth in a statement.

“It’s clear we need to continue working together to increase resilience in the face of climate change, and I’m grateful for this collaboration with federal and Indigenous leaders.”