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How flood, drought funding will be allocated throughout Alberta

Click to play video: 'Environment Minister Phillips announces flood mitigation program'
Environment Minister Phillips announces flood mitigation program
WATCH ABOVE: Environment and parks minister Shannon Phillips was in Lethbridge to introduce the grants through the watershed resiliency and restoration program. Blake Lough reports – Nov 13, 2015

LETHBRIDGE – The government of Alberta announced Friday it is providing nearly $3 million in grants to 12 organizations through the Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program. The goal is to improve the flood and drought resiliency of communities across the province.

Minister of Environment and Parks Shannon Phillips said restoring natural flood and drought defences is a critical part of protecting families, businesses and the economy from the threat of natural disasters.

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“Improving the capacity of our natural landscapes to store water through measures like wetland and riverbank restoration is an added line of defence as we invest in major flood control infrastructure,” said Phillips.

The majority of the work focuses on the Bow River or Oldman River basins.

Here is how the funding has been allocated:

The City of Calgary – Water Resources: $750,000
Town of High River: $300,000
Alberta Birds of Prey Foundation (Coaldale, AB): $749,000
Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society: $16,820
Taber Irrigation District: $45,000
Lesser Slave Watershed Council: $12,500
Oldman Watershed Council: $233,000
Western Sky Land Trust: $221,000
Trout Unlimited Canada: $32,733
Bow River Basin Council: $245,000
Foothills Research Institute: $99,880
Red Deer County: $175,000
Total Amount: $2,879,933

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The Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program is a three-year, $21-million program. The funding will be made available to non-governmental organizations, not-for-profit organizations, as well as municipalities, First Nations and local authorities.

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