Lheidli T'enneh First Nation has been chosen as one of 28 communities across B.C. to receive emergency preparedness funding to help provide support for evacuation route planning.
Of more than $1 million in funds, Lheidli T'enneh has been granted $19,500 for to plan an effective evacuation route for its North and South IR#2 reserves.
"Through this program, we've been able to help communities better prepare for emergencies so they can be more responsive and resilient," Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth said in the announcement.
"These funds for evacuation route planning will help ensure more British Columbians can escape safely in case a disaster hits, and these communities can rest easier knowing they have a solid plan in place to keep people safe from harm."
The government says since the 2017 budget update, more than $60 million has been provided to communities and governments across the province through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund.
The monies are part of a $69.5 million plan to help communities prepare for and respond to disasters.
The seven streams of funding are:
- Flood Risk Assessment, Flood Mapping and Flood Mitigation Planning
- Emergency Support Services
- Emergency Operations Centres and Training
- Structural Flood Mitigation
- Evacuation Route Planning
- Indigenous Cultural Safety and Cultural Humility Training
- Volunteers and Composite Fire Departments Equipment and Training
"Preparation is the key to being able to effectively recover from an emergency," says Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Preparedness Jennifer Rice.
"I'm encouraged to see so many of B.C.'s communities working on evacuation plans so they can be ready to respond if the need arises."
The next deadline to apply for a program is March 26, 2021. The government says the funding will be used for Emergency Operations Centres and Training.
