The Coldwater River flowing down what used to be Pine Street in Merritt in 2021 (Image Credit: Greg Lowis / City of Merritt)

By Michael Reeve

Merritt Flood Recovery

Merritt’s hope for Flood recovery funding may not be dead in the water

Jun 8, 2024 | 7:54 AM

MERRITT, B.C. — Earlier this week, city of Merritt officials held a press conference to announce that the community had been denied flood recovery funding from the Federal Government in the form of Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Funding (DMAF)

Without the federal assistance to rebuild the diking system throughout the city along the Coldwater River, the city of Merritt will flood again.

In response to the denial to not only Merritt but Princeton and Abbotsford as well, Central Okanagan Similkimeen Nicola MP Dan Albas penned a letter to Canada’s Infrastructure Minister Sean Fraser.

“In the over two years since, the municipalities have gone through lengthy and expensive applications for federal funding through the Disaster Mitigation & Adaptation Fund. We were shocked to see that on June 3, their applications were denied. By denying this application, the government is turning their backs on our region and putting critical national infrastructure at risk,” reads the letter in part.

Along with the Merritt MP, the letter was co-signed by five additional members of parliament from the Conservative Caucus.

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“Together with my colleagues representing British Columbians, we are demanding that you as Minister of Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities demonstrate real leadership by telling the big government gatekeepers to get out of the way and reopen applications to ensure a fair deal for British Columbia,” continued the letter from Albas.

In light of the letter and press conference, Merritt Mayor Mike Goetz confirmed in an email to CFJC Today that the Ministry through DMAF has reached out to the city to schedule a meeting.