Nova Scotia government announces flood risk reduction project funding

The Government of Nova Scotia announced Friday it will provide $147,500 to support five projects meant to help communities investigate the causes of flooding and explore solutions.

“These projects will contribute to our ongoing efforts to help communities and homeowners plan for the worst, and prevent excessive damage from flooding,” environment minister Randy Delorey says in a statement from Nova Scotia’s Department of Environment.

The funding is through the Flood Assessment Fund, now in its second year, which provides as much as 50% of eligible costs, the department notes.

The five projects to receive funding for 2014-2015 include the following:

• $87,500 for the Town of Mahone Bay to identify ways to protect its shoreline from flooding, and begin engineering and design work on the embankment;

• $30,000 for the Town of Kentville for flooding prevention and reduction work on Cornwallis River and Mill Brook;

• $12,500 for the Municipality of East Hants, Nine Mile River and the Rain Yards program for a storm water education and run-off reduction program run by Clean Nova Scotia;

• $12,500 for the Municipality of East Hants, Sackville River Headwaters to launch the Rain Yards program; and

• $5,000 for the Municipality of East Hants for flood assessment of municipal lands.

The Flood Assessment Fund and the Flood Risk Infrastructure Investment Program, administered by the Department of Municipal Affairs, are part of Nova Scotia’s Flood Mitigation Framework. The framework aims to reduce the impacts of flooding in vulnerable communities through cross-government collaboration and support for community mitigation efforts.

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On Aug. 1, Nova Scotia’s Department of Municipal Affairs announced that the provincial government was investing $344,275 in six projects under the Flood Risk Infrastructure Investment Program to help municipalities reinforce and stabilize existing streets, rivers, channels and banks against the risk of floods.

“Government is investing in infrastructure projects to ensure municipalities are well-protected during flooding and storm surges,” education and early childhood development minister Karen Casey, on behalf of municipal affairs minister Mark Furey, said in a statement at the time. The projects range from dune revetment to flooding mitigation and siding flood reduction.

“The Flood Risk Infrastructure Program is designed to reduce risks and improve the readiness of communities in advance of extreme weather events that can cause excessive damage,” Casey said.

“Having this program in place gives communities the financial assistance to create infrastructure to reduce flood risks similar to what Colchester has experienced,” said Mayor Bob Taylor of the Municipality of the County of Colchester.

Heavy rains, high tides, ice jams, erosion and storm surges mean flooding is an ongoing concern throughout Nova Scotia while climate change is also expected to increase the risk of flooding in the future, notes a joint statement issued by Nova Scotia’s environment and municipal affairs department last May.

“We can’t prevent floods, but knowing which areas of the province are at greater risk will allow us to better manage their damaging effects,” Delorey said.

Total funding through the Flood Assessment Fund for 2014-2015 is $150,000; total funding through the Flood Risk Infrastructure Investment Program for 2014-2015 is $700,000.

Flood waters in the Fundy Trail Mall Parking lot, Truro, Nova Scotia, September, 2012, arising from Tropical Storm Leslie