Nearly $50 million in federal funding will contribute to curb flooding in Kitchener.
The funding, through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, was announced on Wednesday afternoon. It’s earmarked to help upgrade the city’s stormwater management system.
“Now more than ever, communities need help adapting to the frequent and intensifying weather events caused by climate change,” a press release from Infrastructure Canada reads in part.
The money will help upgrade key components of the system and add better stormwater drainage controls in certain neighbourhoods. It will also go towards funding a redesign of a natural channel to help manage heavy rain.
The Bridgeport dike will get an upgrade as well, and a section of the Walter Bean Grand River Trail will be replaced.
The press release says it will improve flood protection for over 11,500 residents and reduce the number of people who are directly affected by flooding by 75 per cent.
“This significant investment from the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund will help ensure our critical infrastructure can withstand these severe weather events and protect Kitchener residents,” Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic was quoted in part in a release.
It’s expected that these upgrades and mitigation projects will reduce economic loss of local flooding by as much as 80 per cent.
The City of Kitchener is contributing more than $72 million to the project as well, with the remainder of the funding coming from the Grand River Conservation Authority.
The DMAF is a 10-year, $2 billion program that helps communities build the infrastructure to withstand natural disasters.
