Topley will be receiving provincial funding as part of a $20.7 million climate adaptation program.

According to a news release issued by the ministry of transportation and infrastructure, Topley is part of the 10 projects funded in the north. The total investment for northern B.C. through this program is $4.1 million and Topley’s share of the funding would be going towards replacing the undersized culverts at the Watson Creek culvert.

The province said that the increasing effects of climate change on communities and infrastructure were becoming more visible and pronounced; from floods, wildfires to water shortages, communities are seeing heightened impact of climate change. This funding is aimed at providing improvements and upgrades in existing infrastructure.

The program funding is therefore going towards specific projects that are said to mitigate and address the effects of climate change in more than 60 locations throughout the province, while building back B.C. by providing good jobs to British Columbians. Some of the projects funded include erosion protection and mitigation, repairing washout damaged roads, avalanche catchment area maintenance, installing and replacing culverts and drainage improvements.

Some of the other northern B.C. projects would be Aldous road culvert replacement in Hazelton, Mountain Creek culvert work in Terrace and erosion protection project in Skeena River.

With the funding, the province is also hoping to provide relief to several people impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, through job creation as a part of these newly announced projects.

“Our StrongerBC Economic Recovery Plan is about getting people back to work while also supporting B.C. communities to become more resilient to the impacts of climate change,” said Ravi Kahlon, minister of jobs, economic recovery and innovation in the news release.

Priyanka Ketkar
Multimedia journalist
@PriyankaKetkar

priyanka.ketkar@ldnews.net

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