The City of Surrey, British Columbia has received $624,200 for new climate change resilience projects, including coastal flooding adaptation programs to help it become more resilient in a changing climate.

“The City of Surrey is leading the way in planning for the challenges presented by a changing climate,” said Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner. “As a coastal community, it is important that we bring together our partners and stakeholders to develop solutions to the impact of climate change.”

The projects in Surrey are supported by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities as part of its Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program funded by the Government of Canada. “Communities like the City of Surrey are looking for ways to maximize their infrastructure dollars, plan for, and adapt to the impacts of climate change, and undertake programs that benefit the environment,” said Jenny Gerbasi, president of the Canadian Federation of Municipalities. “Local solutions are helping tackle national challenges — and are building a more livable, competitive Canada. We are proud of the great work communities are undertaking with the help of these programs.”

The funding supports the city’s Engineering Department in on three coastal adaptation projects:

  • $175,000 to support the general development of Surrey’s Coastal Flood Adaptation Strategy. Learn more at www.surrey.ca/coastal
  • $102,800 to further support the development of Surrey’s Coastal Flood Adaptation Strategy with a project Improving Coastal Flood Adaptation Approaches to Minimize Infrastructure Risk.
  • $171,400 to further support the development of Surrey’s Coastal Flood Adaptation Strategy with a project to Prioritize Infrastructure and Ecosystem Risk from Coastal Processes in Mud Bay. This project will increase awareness and understanding of coastal green infrastructure, how it is changing, and what areas and species are at risk.

Surrey’s Coastal Flood Adaptation Strategy has completed its first phase and is currently developing adaptation options to coastal flooding. The $449,200 for the aobve projects supports the following initiatives:

  • Additional engagement and collaboration with infrastructure owners.
  • Additional engagement with environmental organizations, research and analysis of important ecosystems and species along Surrey’s Coast, in Mud Bay. The project brings together technical specialists in coastal geomorphology, marine species, and migratory birds to assess shoreline vulnerabilities and strengthens relationships with environmental organizations such as Duck Unlimited Canada and Friends of Semiahmoo Bay Society.

To complement the above adaptation projects, Surrey City Energy is advancing low-carbon energy supply. The fourth project supported by FCM funding with $175,000 supports:

  • Engineering to pre-design materials to select the most cost-effective option to pursue in the short term.  The options being evaluated include the use of biomass from clean urban waste wood at the Green Timbers site and the use of waste heat from the South Surrey Interceptor trunk sewer in combination with waste heat from refrigeration at the new arena facility at the Trouten Pit site.

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