The federal government announced Thursday that a second advanced payment of $557 million to the B.C. government through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) program will assist with recovery costs associated with the devastating flooding that hit the province in 2021.
In November 2021, a once-in-a-century atmospheric river storm caused severe flooding, landslides, and mudslides across interior and coastal regions of the province.
The flooding inundated farmland and killed thousands of animals.
Five people died when a mudslide washed over Highway 99 north of Pemberton, and at the peak of the flooding, 15,000 people were evacuated from their homes.
The rains swelled numerous rivers, which washed away bridges and stretches of highway, cutting off the Lower Mainland from the rest of the country.
This additional almost $5.6 million brings the federal payments to the DFAA to more than $1 billion.
The federal government said the money under the DFAA will go to projects such as restoring public works and infrastructure, replacing or repairing basic, essential property, small businesses and farms.
On Tuesday, the B.C. Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness says it will add $180 million to support projects that help communities prepare for and mitigate the effects of natural disasters.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada estimated the cost of insured flood damage was at least $450 million, making it the most expensive disaster in the province’s history.