$125 million available to municipalities and Indigenous communities to improve drought and flood resiliency
Introduced in Budget 2024, the Drought and Flood Protection Program will be funded at $25 million per year for five years. The program is designed to help municipalities design and construct projects that protect critical infrastructure from drought and flooding and help ensure public safety is protected. This could include important drought-related projects to improve water storage, upgrading open-ditch irrigation canals to reduce water loss through evaporation, or relocating water intakes to help municipalities access water during dry periods. It could also include flood-related projects, such as berms, flood walls, and other infrastructure.
Applications for shovel-ready projects are strongly encouraged, but all projects that meet the eligibility criteria will be considered for funding. All municipalities, improvement districts, Special Areas, Metis settlements, and First Nations are eligible to apply by June 6, 2024.
Projects eligible for funding include, but are not limited to:
- Drought and flood-proofing, or relocation of critical infrastructure and infrastructure required to access those services.
- Structural measures such as berms, flood walls, bank protection and stabilization works, retention ponds, and diversion structures intended to protect critical infrastructure and ensure public safety.
- Purchase of property for the purpose of relocation or for access to and/or construction of a project.
- Bio-retention infrastructure designed to increase flood attenuation and reduce the impacts of drought.
Warren Noga
Policy Advisor
825.319.2285
warren@RMAlberta.com
Wyatt Skovron
General Manager of Policy & Advocacy
780.955.4096
wyatt@RMAlberta.com