Marco Mendicino, parliamentary secretary to the minister of infrastructure and communities, and Don Darling, mayor of the City of Saint John, announced funding for the Saint John Flood Mitigation Strategy.
“Extreme weather events are becoming more and more common in Canadian towns and cities,” said Mendicino. “It is time to take concrete steps to adapt to the impacts of climate change to ensure a safe, prosperous future for our families, our businesses, and the environment. This project will mitigate future flood damage in Saint John, protecting Canadians, and the essential services they rely on. By investing in infrastructure that protects communities now, we are ensuring that Canadians can thrive and prosper for generations to come.”
The project consists of improving three critical components of infrastructure within the city, including refurbishing the sea wall, raising or replacing city pumping stations, and relocating vulnerable electrical utility infrastructure on the Saint John waterfront.
Once completed, this project will help reduce the effects of storm and flooding events in the city’s central business district, protect public utilities, and reduce the risk of contaminating ocean ecosystems.
“We have experienced firsthand the increased frequency and severity of weather events that are impacting communities across Canada,” said Mayor Don Darling. “Climate-related disaster mitigation is now one of the greatest environmental challenges we all face. As a city, we are taking action to identify our vulnerabilities and work with our government partners to access funding that will enable us to keep our community safe, protect critical infrastructure, protect the environment, and provide economic growth within our community.”
The Government of Canada is contributing over $11.9 million towards these projects through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund. The City of Saint John and Saint John Energy will provide the remaining 60 per cent of project funding through long-term capital funding programs.