Tuesday, February 3, 2026
The province of British Columbia is advocating for federal support for flood resilience on Sumas Prairie.
Provincial minister of emergency management and climate readiness Kelly Greene along with Abbotsford mayor Ross Seimens and Semá:th First Nation Chief Dalton Silver will be in Ottawa Feb. 4 and Feb 5 to meet with senior members of the federal cabinet to discuss crucial flood-reduction infrastructure projects and emergency preparedness in British.C., a provincial government release said.
“Sumas Prairie is a vital economic, agricultural and transportation corridor for B.C. and for Canada. I’m optimistic that our federal government shares our concern for the people and businesses in this area of national importance, and will join us in our work to develop a long-term resilience strategy,” Greene said.
“Abbotsford farms generate $3.8 billion in annual economic activity, and protecting the people who live and work here, along with the critical trade and energy infrastructure running through the prairie, is essential. In 2021, the federal government promised to help safeguard our community against flooding disasters, and we are optimistic this government will deliver the funding needed to protect our region and nation,” Siemens added.
Sumas Prairie in southwestern B.C. is susceptible to flooding from both the Sumas and Nooksack rivers and was hit by floods most recently in Dec. 2025 and Nov. 2021.
The Sumas River Watershed Flood Mitigation Planning Initiative was formed in April 2023 in response to catastrophic flooding in 2021 with the goal of improving flood resilience for Sumas Prairie, the release said, with B.C. providing approximately $200 million in recovery, preparedness and mitigation funding for Abbotsford and Sumas Prairie since 2021.
