My speech for the Richmond No. 3 Road South Drainage Pump Station
As the MLA for Richmond-Steveston, I am honoured to speak today on behalf of my colleague Bowinn Ma, B.C.’s Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, on an event that has a special meaning for me. I was born and raised in Richmond-Steveston and am proud to call this my home. The province providing $8.18 million toward the $13-million pump and dyke upgrade project is important for this community.
In addition to being a local MLA, I am honoured to serve as Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries and Aquaculture. And before entering provincial politics, I served on Richmond City Council where I fought for the preservation of our precious farmland and the protection of the environment.
I’m especially excited to be here for this announcement about strengthening Richmond’s defences against flooding and the effects of extreme weather events. The words “Climate Readiness” are front and centre in Minister Ma’s ministry’s name for a very good reason.
The effects of our changing climate are obvious to anyone who lives in B.C. Unprecedented flooding, extreme heat and devastating wildfire seasons are happening in our province with alarming frequency. If the weather events of the past few years have taught us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected – and prepare for the worst.
Last year, our government enshrined the most progressive emergency management legislation in Canada – the Emergency and Disaster Management Act. One of the pillars of the Act is that we’re factoring climate change into emergency management. We’re implementing global best practices, which put a much stronger emphasis on disaster prevention and mitigation.
The re-construction of the Drainage Pump Station is an example of bringing these best practices to life in B.C. This project will quadruple the station’s pumping capacity and include raising the dike to protect people, businesses and farmland.
Our government – which is proud to provide more than $8.1 million dollars toward this project – and our partners agree that upgrading critical infrastructure in communities before a climate disaster happens is the responsible way forward. Our government continues to make investments in flood resilience through a variety of other complementary funding sources. These include the Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy, the B.C. Salmon Innovation and Restoration Fund, and the Agriculture Water Infrastructure Program.
All of these initiatives align with the B.C. Flood Strategy, which was released in March. The Strategy and these initiatives support communities to build flood resilience and provide benefits to watershed health, salmon and ecosystem restoration, and food security. It’s indeed an honour to be part of this occasion, which means so much to me personally – and for the City of Richmond’s Flood Protection Management Strategy.
We’re grateful for the collaboration with our funding partners to bring these long-term benefits for everyone in Richmond. Thank you very much.
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