The Municipal District of Taber will be better protected from major floods caused by heavy rainfalls or snowmelts as the Government of Canada invests in important public infrastructure to better protect families, businesses, and communities from the effects of extreme weather events.

Catherine McKenna, minister of infrastructure and communities, and Merrill Harris, reeve of the Municipal District of Taber, announced funding for Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the Horsefly Regional Emergency Spillway.

The federal government’s investment of more than $9.8 million in this project through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund will help protect more than 60,000 Albertans in the Municipal District of Taber from the impacts of floods.

“The Government of Canada is helping communities across Canada better manage the risks of disasters triggered by severe weather events and a changing climate,” said Catherine McKenna, minister of infrastructure and communities.

“This important project in the Municipal District of Taber will help make over 60,000 people across the region more resilient to flooding,” added McKenna. “Through our Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, we’re investing more than $9.8 million to help protect residents, their properties, and crops from flooding.”

Since 2010, the Municipal District of Taber has experienced five major floods due to sudden heavy rainfalls and snowmelts that caused significant damage to municipal roads, crops, and properties.

The new spillway will enlarge 14-kilometres of existing irrigation canals to divert stormwater from the St. Mary River Irrigation District Main Canal to the Oldman River during storm events, significantly reducing the threat of flooding due to climate change and keeping families safe.

“The Municipal District of Taber is proud to be partnering with Infrastructure Canada to ensure the ongoing safety and security of residents across the region, while creating up to 150 new construction jobs at a time when jobs are needed most,” said Merrill Harris, reeve of the Municipal District of Taber.

The Horsefly Regional Emergency Spillway project is expected to create more than 100 construction jobs through Phases 1 to 3. This announcement builds on the Government of Canada’s investment of more than $8.8 million in Phase 1 of the project.

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