B.C. Government News Release
Together, the governments of Canada and British Columbia continue to support the people of British Columbia and First Nations communities facing the immediate and long-term impacts of wildfires.
On Tuesday, September, 5, the Ad Hoc Cabinet Committee on Federal Recovery Efforts for 2017 BC Wildfires met with members of the British Columbia government, First Nations community leaders and representatives from the Canadian Red Cross to discuss progress and next steps in the response to the ongoing wildfires.
Co-chaired by the Honourable Minister Carla Qualtrough (chair of the Ad Hoc Committee and Minister of Public Services and Procurement), British Columbia Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth and British Columbia Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Doug Donaldson, the meeting focused on joint response, recovery and rebuilding efforts, including:
* An update on the current evacuation and re-entry supports being provided to affected communities;
* Impacts on First Nations Communities;
* Review of the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements process, that would follow an official request from the Province for assistance under the program and a commitment to expedite any related approvals;
* Impacts on businesses, particularly the lumber and agricultural sectors; and
* A joint commitment by the governments of Canada and British Columbia to implement the Canadian Wildland Fire Strategy that was renewed by federal, provincial and territorial forest ministers in 2016, and to strengthen fire-prevention programs such as FireSmart.Further to these discussions, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, and British Columbia Minister of Agriculture Lana Popham Tuesday announced agricultural producers, who have been affected by this year’s devastating wildfires, will receive assistance under the AgriRecovery Framework.
Within that Framework, the 2017 Canada-British Columbia Wildfires Recovery Initiative will provide up to $20 million to assist agricultural producers with the extraordinary costs incurred to recover from the adverse effects of this year’s wildfires. This investment will be cost-shared 60:40 between the Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia.
The Government of Canada will continue to work with Emergency Management BC and on-reserve First Nations communities to develop recovery plans and to reimburse eligible response and recovery costs.
The federal government is also committing to conduct a review of the response to the fires, in full partnership with the Government of British Columbia and B.C. First Nations, to improve the emergency management regime as well as identify preventive measures that can be undertaken ahead of future fires.
Premier John Horgan said, “today’s announcement underlines the close co-operation B.C. has seen from the federal government since these disastrous wildfires broke out. Our task now is to build on that collaboration, so fire-hit communities and businesses - in tourism, agriculture and forestry - can get back on their feet as soon as possible and take practical steps to minimize the risk of future wildfires.”