City of Pitt Meadows will be receiving $3.6 million from the province to upgrade components of the Kennedy Drainage Pump Station.
The project, which will be done in consultation with the Katzie First Nation, includes installing higher-capacity pumps and new debris screens.
These upgrades will ensure that fish can travel from the Katzie Slough into the Pitt River during high-water periods.
"As many of you know most of the City of Pitt Meadows is located in the flood plain. The Kennedy Road Pump Station is a vital part of the city's drainage system, responsible for moving storm water out of Pitt Meadows to reduce the risk of flooding to homes, businesses, critical infrastructure, and our agricultural areas," explained Mayor of Pitt Meadows Nicole MacDonald, at Friday's announcement.
"This is the last pump station to be updated and services the largest and most habitable space in the City of Pitt Meadows," added MacDonald, where, she said, the existing pumps and debris screens are well past their service life and are increasingly prone to failure.
"One pump even required repairs as recent as last month and a section of our debris screens collapsed," she said, noting the urgency of the project.
MacDonald noted that extreme weather events are increasing in frequency with the impacts of climate change.
"This funding will make a real difference for the long-term resilience of our city. Not only will we be able to replace aging infrastructure with higher-capacity, modern pumps, and automated debris screens, to more efficiently and effectively manage the movement of water, but we will also be incorporating fish-friendly features that reflect our community's environmental values," added the mayor.
Design is underway and will take about another year, as well as applying for various permits, explained Samantha Maki, director of engineering for the city.
The work itself should only take a couple of months to complete, and Maki noted, they are hoping the project is underway by the summer of 2026.
"By the end of next year it should be completed," Maki said.
Lisa Beare, MLA for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows expects that homes, farmland, and infrastructure in Pitt Meadows will be better protected once the project is complete and the community will be better equipped to prepare and respond to emergencies.
This project is one of 61 projects to protect communities across B.C. from the increasing threat of natural and climate-related emergencies that the provincial government will be undertaking.
Around $21 million will be coming from the new Disaster Resillience and Innovation Funding, (DRIF), program and almost $20 million from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund, (CEPF), for the projects.
Other projects will include: a remediation project for the Bouffioux Coulee in Fort St. John to improve the coulees berm to protect homes, the sewer outfall pipeline and the River Drive embankment along the Peace River; seismic planning for the City of Burnaby to improve infrastructure to limit potential damage during earthquakes; the creation of an urban forest for the Nazko First Nation to provide relief during extreme-heat events and to improve flood resilience by increasing soil stability as the trees roots mature.
"The frequency of climate-caused events is increasing, and managing and reducing these risks is essential," said Kelly Greene, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness.
"By supporting communities on these projects, we are helping to better protect these communities and the people who call them home. Our new DRIF program provides reliable, long-term funding so communities can better plan for and address their most pressing disaster-mitigation needs," said the minister.
The DRIF program provides support to First Nations and local governments for projects that will enhance their ability to withstand and adapt to natural hazards and climate-caused disasters.
Expressions of interest from First Nations and local governments for the next round of the DRIF program are being accepted until June 27, 2025.
