HAZELTON, B.C. – The Village of Hazelton is set to receive $10 million in provincial funding to build a new 1.2-kilometre dike and upgrade its existing flood protection infrastructure along the Skeena River.
The major investment, announced this week, is designed to significantly reduce the risk of flooding by protecting vital community infrastructure, homes, and businesses from the high waters of the Skeena River during spring freshet or extreme weather events.
The project is the largest part of a new, province-wide investment of over $6 million from the Disaster Resilience and Innovation Funding (DRIF) program, which is aimed at helping communities protect themselves from climate-related hazards.
“The Village of Hazelton is grateful to the Province for supporting this important flood-mitigation project,” said the Mayor of Hazelton in a statement. “Strengthening our dike will help protect vital infrastructure, businesses and homes in our community, while increasing our resilience to the impacts of climate change along the Skeena River.”
The provincial Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness added that as climate-related emergencies become more frequent and extreme, partnerships with local and First Nations governments are more important than ever to make people and communities safer.
“Communities in B.C. are experiencing more frequent and more extreme climate-related emergencies, so it’s more important than ever to take action to prepare for and reduce these risks,” the Minister said.
Other projects funded in the region under the program include a flood-hazard assessment for the Homalco First Nation and a design project for a new water intake dam for the Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation on the Central Coast.
This investment in Hazelton’s flood defences represents one of the most significant infrastructure upgrades for the community in years, providing long-term protection for the historic village.
