The federal government should work with the government of British Columbia and local municipalities to develop a comprehensive plan for flood control in the Fraser Valley, the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry said in a report released October 27, 2022. The report comes in the wake of major floods that engulfed the intensively farmed region in November 2021.

The report, Treading Water: The impact of and response to the 2021 British Columbia floods, outlines the committee’s findings from its study of the floods’ impact on the Fraser Valley and the subsequent recovery efforts, as well as the lessons learned that the committee identified.

The committee heard testimony from 23 witnesses during its study, including six B.C. agricultural trade associations, Indigenous leaders, hydraulic engineering consultants, academics, and federal and municipal officials.

The evidence shows a comprehensive flood control plan is critical to protecting the vulnerable Fraser Valley region from future — and potentially more devastating — flooding. That plan should include a timeline for dike upgrades and the creation of a committee to examine flood mitigation measures, emergency preparedness and response strategies. It should be developed in consultation with relevant stakeholders, including Indigenous communities, to reflect the unique challenges that different communities face when impacted by flooding.

The committee’s two other recommendations relate to easy and timely access to natural disaster relief and to the management of transboundary waters — including the Nooksack River, as its overflow was a major contributor to the flooding in the Fraser Valley.

The floods inundated more than 15,000 hectares of land and affected more than 1,000 farms, 2.5 million livestock, and B.C.’s road and railway infrastructure, causing an estimated $285 million in damage.

Source:  Senate Committee on Agriculture & Forestry October 27, 2022 news release