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Feds give $22M cash infusion to Mill Creek flood protection work

Work will repair damage caused by previous floods and protect against new ones
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Federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Ralph Goodale, left, was in Kelowna to announce $22 million for flood protections works in Mill Creek. (Mackenzie Britton/Kelowna Capital News)

Flood protection work in Kelowna got a boost Friday morning as Federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Ralph Goodale announced $22 million for the Mill Creek flood protection project.

Goodale was in Kelowna along with Kelowna-Lake Country MP Stephen Fuhr and Mayor Colin Basran.

The funding comes after Mill Creek flooded in 2017 and 2018 with “record breaking” flows that damaged residential, parks, trails and roads, as well as the airport.

The $22 million comes as part of the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund and will increase the creek’s capacity by “rehabilitating creek riverbanks, integrating increased drainage solutions, and adding new off-stream water storage areas.”

Goodale said the funding was a “concrete step” in preparing for the impacts of climate change.

“The Mill Creek Flood Protection project will better protect residents and businesses of Kelowna from future flooding events, and economic loss due to extreme weather,” Goodale said.

“By investing in infrastructure that protects communities now, we are ensuring that Canadians can thrive and prosper for generations to come.”

The federal investment is part of a $2 billion country-wide budget that will help communities battle climate change conditions from flooding to forrest fires.

MP Fuhr said that the investment will also directly help with flood-caused problems at Kelowna’s airport.

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