National

Feds send $148 million to B.C. in disaster recovery funds for floods, wildfires

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 09 Dec, 2024 03:55 PM

The federal government is paying out more than $148 million in disaster recovery funding to British Columbia in response to recent flooding and record-breaking wildfire seasons.

Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada says in a statement that the funding will be paid through its Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements program for supporting costs linked with the 2022 and 2023 wildfires season as well as flooding last year.

The federal government says B.C. saw more than 4,000 wildfires in the two years, with 223 evacuations orders and 431 alerts affecting about 192,000 residents overall.

It says about $132 million will be sent for the 2023 wildfire season and $12 million for 2022, as well as about $4 million for the flooding in the B.C. Interior that happened in April and May 2023.

The 2023 B.C. wildfire season is the most destructive in the province's history, with more than 28,400 square kilometres of land burned along with many structures, including entire neighbourhoods in the Okanagan.

The 2023 wildfire season in B.C. contributed to the most destructive wildfire season in the country with 6,000 fires torching 150,000 square kilometres — an area more than double the original record set in 1989, according to Natural Resources Canada.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Edmonton police investigating after infant found dead in parking lot

Police in Edmonton are investigating the death of an infant discovered in a shopping centre parking lot. They say officers were called Saturday afternoon to the shopping complex in the city's south end and found the body.

Edmonton police investigating after infant found dead in parking lot

BoC expected to lower interest rates again, with odds leaning toward larger cut

Financial markets and forecasters are betting on another jumbo interest rate cut from the Bank of Canada this week. Statistics Canada's latest job report tilted expectations in favour of a larger cut.

BoC expected to lower interest rates again, with odds leaning toward larger cut

Salvation Army says holiday donations down 50 per cent since mail strike began

The Salvation Army says holiday donations are down 50 per cent since the Canada Post strike began, amounting to a drop of roughly $9.3 million in seasonal giving compared to this time last year. 65 per cent of The Salvation Army's annual fundraising occurs between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, roughly two-thirds of that by mail.

Salvation Army says holiday donations down 50 per cent since mail strike began

The Canada Post strike involving more than 55,000 has hit 25 days

The Canada Post strike involving more than 55,000 workers has hit 25 days. In a statement Sunday, Canada Post says it is awaiting a formal response from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers to the proposal it submitted to the union Friday.

The Canada Post strike involving more than 55,000 has hit 25 days

Finance minister says government's fiscal update coming Dec. 16

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will publish the government's fall economic statement on Dec. 16, just before members of Parliament are expected to head home for the holidays.

Finance minister says government's fiscal update coming Dec. 16

Government faces third Tory non-confidence vote ahead of potential fiscal hurdle

Members of Parliament are supposed to vote on a motion that quotes NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh's criticism of the Liberals and asks the House to agree with Singh and vote to bring down the government.