August 4, 2014
Province Announces Grant to Local Governments for Flood Mitigation Projects
– – –Albert, Patricia and Pebble Beaches, Willow Island and Riverton to Benefit from Building Manitoba Fund: Premier Selinger
The Manitoba government will assist the rural municipalities (RM) of Victoria Beach, St. Clements, Bifrost, Riverton and Gimli to boost flood protection at Albert, Patricia and Pebble beaches, Riverton and the Willow Island access road with flood-fighting funding through the Building Manitoba Fund (BMF), Premier Greg Selinger announced today.
“The province is pleased to partner with the municipalities to build permanent dike protection,” said Premier Selinger. “The funding is provided through the Building Manitoba Fund, Manitoba’s program for sharing provincial tax revenue with municipalities.”
The premier said municipalities will receive infrastructure and other project funding equal to one per cent of the provincial sales tax to ensure investments in infrastructure grow as Manitoba’s economy grows. Although there is funding available for flood-related activities through the federal-provincial Disaster Financial Assistance program arrangements, not all projects qualify under federal guidelines. The provincially funded Building Manitoba Fund has more flexibility for important projects, the premier said.
“The proactive approach taken by our provincial government in protecting our communities from flooding now and into the future will in the long-run show great savings for all Manitobans,” said Mayor Steve Strang, RM of St. Clements. “Knowing that these decisions do not come easy, I applaud the premier for the fast actions in resolving the financial burden put onto our municipalities in protection of citizens and their properties.”
The following projects will receive funding:
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RM of Gimli – Willow Island access road improvements
- The island is connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of land and high water levels on the lake, combined with other weather events, often cause the road to go underwater. The grant will allow the RM to undertake improvements to the access road which is susceptible to flooding. The province, through the BMF, will fund 90 per cent of the work to a maximum of $300,000.
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RM of St. Clements – Patricia Beach community dike
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The Patricia Beach diking project will help protect approximately 60 individual residences and cottages. The area sustained considerable damage in the October 2010 ‘weather bomb’ and has been subject to flooding again in 2014. The province, through the BMF, will fund
90 per cent of the work to a maximum of $800,000.
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The Patricia Beach diking project will help protect approximately 60 individual residences and cottages. The area sustained considerable damage in the October 2010 ‘weather bomb’ and has been subject to flooding again in 2014. The province, through the BMF, will fund
- RM of Victoria Beach – Albert Beach flood protection
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- The RM of Victoria Beach is currently evaluating options for increased protection including rehabilitating existing protection that has been damaged. The province, through the BMF, will fund 90 per cent of the work to a maximum of $300,000.
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RM of Bifrost – Pebble Beach flood protection
- The Pebble Beach area, adjacent to Lake Winnipeg, is increasing protection building on works that were undertaken in 2005.
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Village of Riverton – community dike
- The Icelandic River that runs through the RM of Bifrost has a very narrow channel south of the Village of Riverton. This project will provide permanent flood protection in the vicinity of the Riverton High School. The work will consist of raising an existing road, constructing a new dike, and associated drainage and remedial work.
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