Premier David Eby said severe flooding in the Fraser Valley has had a major impact on farmers and key trade corridors, and called on the federal government to step up support for flood mitigation efforts.
Eby spoke with reporters a day after meeting with affected farmers and visiting the Barrowtown Pump Station in Abbotsford, alongside B.C.’s Agriculture and Food Minister Lana Popham and Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene.
Eby said he also met earlier on Wednesday with Washington Governor Bob Ferguson, whose state is bearing the brunt of the storm systems and widespread flooding.
Floodwaters are gradually receding in the Fraser Valley after the heavy rains last week caused the Nooksack river in Washington to overflow its banks, swamping farms, homes and highways.
It came four years after the devastating floods of November 2021, when overflows from the Nooksack led to significant loss of livestock and forced over 3,300 people from their homes.
In an update last week, Abbotsford Mayor Ross Siemens slammed the lack of federal support for flood mitigation efforts in the wake of the 2021 deluge, and called on Ottawa to work with officials south of the border on flood prevention.
Eby echoed those calls Wednesday. He said it’s important for the federal government to recognize that a major flooding event can not only damage local roads and farms, but affects national transport corridors and other infrastructure of national significance.
He said he’ll be bringing those concerns to a first ministers’ meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney this Thursday.
“This is definitely about flood prevention in the Fraser Valley, but this is also a national issue,” said Eby.
“Addressing Highway 1 stability, ensuring that it’s protected from floods from Washington state, addressing the Massey Tunnel, addressing other rail related bottlenecks should be a huge priority for the federal government given their desire to significantly increase transport out of our ports,” he said.
Eby also noted the federal government made changes to its disaster support program earlier this year and said his government is working to navigate that with affected property owners.
The City of Abbotsford has also said it’s waiving building permit fees and expediting permit processing for affected properties over the next year.
Meanwhile, the B.C. Conservatives are criticizing the province for not sending out emergency text messages to warn residents about the risks due to the flooding.
B.C. has a localized alert system intended to notify residents of urgent public safety information during life-threatening emergencies, but generally local governments need to request those alerts.
“This past week’s floods have been so rapid and powerful that lives are literally on the line, making the government’s inaction without reason or justification,” says emergency management critic Sheldon Clare. “To then follow up such negligence by hiding behind a political blame game against municipal officials, is beyond egregious.”
Eby said in this case, officials had an advanced window to notify residents and farmers about the threat of flooding.
“There’s a balance between not wanting to panic people but wanting to give people lots of notice so that they’re able to make that decision,” said Eby.
A flood warning remained in effect Wednesday afternoon for the Chilliwack River, while the River Forecast Centre downgraded to a high streamflow advisory for the Sumas River, meaning no major flooding is expected.
High streamflow advisories are also in place for Vancouver Island and the Central Coast due to heavy rain in recent days.
The centre said rainfall rates have eased through the region but more rain is expected on Thursday and Friday, with snow at higher elevations.
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