Hello. My name is Duncan Redfearn. I am the chief administrative officer for the City of Grand Forks. I'd like to thank you for the opportunity to speak today. Mayor Baker and council send their greetings.
I would like to use this time to briefly talk about our experience, give our recommendations to the committee and provide some statistical data.
In May 2018 the City of Grand Forks, B.C., along with rural communities adjacent to both the Kettle and Granby rivers, experienced an unprecedented one-in-200-year flood event. Due to a higher-than-normal spring snowpack, a rapid transition from a cool spring to high temperatures, and a large regional rain event, the city suffered catastrophic flooding. This combination of unfavourable conditions was not only a serious risk to life safety; it also compromised city infrastructure, inundated neighbourhoods and caused substantial damage to both commercial and industrial properties.
In 2019 the city was awarded a disaster mitigation and adaptation fund grant in the amount of roughly $50 million, comprised of $20 million federally, $30 million provincially and an additional city contribution of approximately $5 million. Shortly after receiving the funding, the city commenced a flood mitigation program that centred around managed retreat, which, oversimplified, included substantial flood modelling, the acquisition of land and improvements, the construction of flood protection infrastructure and the return of land to the river, or flood plain naturalization.
As of 2026, the city has spent $72 million. With this money, we have constructed 3,000 metres of flood protection infrastructure; purchased 90 properties, 70 of which had improvements, including houses; and returned 10 hectares back to the river. Overall, this money has been used to protect our major industrial partners and businesses, critical infrastructure and at-risk neighbourhoods from future events. Fundamentally, however, it has restored confidence in our community and provided for economic stability. Both the viability and the future of our community have been directly correlated to this program's success.
I'll move now to recommendations that are based on our experience. The most important is that annual funding and support be available for communities experiencing extreme weather events moving forward. We also recommend that, as part of this funding, the policy allows for funding to be front-loaded and eligible to be used for acquiring property; and that any acquisition of land incorporates an equitable compensation framework, such as pre-flood values, additional compensation, consideration of hardship and the cost for displaced homeowners to re-enter the same market. Where allocated for the acquisition of property, it can be used for both land and improvements, which was not the case for us. Flexibility in scope is integral, as are cost centres and grant-stacking over the duration of the program. Finally, we recommend that funding be available to support the development of community capacity also, which could include project management, financial management, land use and planning, and permitting.
I can provide some rough statistics to help provide additional context. Before the flood mitigation program, in a one-in-200-year event, around 800 people would require evacuation. After the program, that number has been reduced to approximately 250. We've protected $194 million in assessed value, comprised of 175 residential buildings along with 108 commercial, industrial and utility structures. Including 2018, Grand Forks has experienced four flooding events equal to or greater than a one-in-10-year flood.
In addition, the total program cost increased to $72 million over the seven-year program. In order to finish our program, the province provided an additional $12 million through grant-stacking. The city contributed another $4 million over and above the first $5 million. As a result of additional compensation and hardship formulas, the city did pay an additional $2.3 million, but we achieved 95% voluntary acquisition. To provide some perspective, the City of Grand Forks requisitions a little over $4 million annually. Typically, we manage a little over $12 million as our annual budget.
I could go on, but I'll stop here. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Thank you.