The Mayor of Merritt is calling on Ottawa to step up to the plate and help his community prevent another natural disaster.

Mike Goetz says one year after floods destroyed wide swaths of his community, including his own home, the federal government has not provided the city with any money to prevent future flooding, saying a federal program to help out municipalities like his has quietly been shuttered.

He notes they need around 165-million dollars to update the dyking systems to ensure the next atmospheric river which inundates Merritt won’t once-again devastate the city.

“Another atmospheric river or pineapple express, or whatever you would like to call it comes through, its a concern, and it has to be a concern, and some people are saying oh this is one in every 750 year flood. Well, I’m not going to bank on that, I’m going to bank on the fact that this might happen tomorrow.”

He’s frustrated that the City of Merritt has yet to receive one-dollar from Ottawa for flood mitigation.

“That money could have covered us (Merritt), Princeton, and probably most of Abbotsford. I’m not trying to be a stickler about it , but this all begins at home. We aren’t asking for a handout, we are asking for what every person in this country has paid into taxes.”

He says he’s planning to meet later this week with federal Public Safety Minister Bill Blair and discuss the unexpected shutdown of a federal assistance program for municipalities earlier this year.

“It’s not going to be a fact of what does this new plan look like, its when is the new plan coming because we simply cannot do this on our own, we do need help to get back to to where we are; I’m not going to ask about what the new fund is going to look like, I just want to know when is it going to reappear.”

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair

Meanwhile, Canada’s Public Safety Minister says the feds, will continue to work closely with the BC government, as well as Municipalities and First Nations Communities impacted by last November’s floods.

Bill Blair acknowledges there is significant reinvestment and recovery efforts needed in communities such as Merritt to work ensure all communities and homes are rebuilt.

“But also I think it’s important to make sure that we spend that money wisely and that we get the best results and build to resilience for that community going forward in the future; and that’s the work that that has been under undertaken.”

Blair says the feds have set up funding opportunities that are being distributed through the province, including a five billion dollar commitment to the Disaster Financial Assistance arrangement.

“Now it’s up to the province, and this is a shared responsibility, but the province designs, develops and implements the Disaster Financial Assistance arrangement in British Columbia. There are certain costs but 90 per cent of the total cost of rebuild is is eligible for reimbursement from the federal government.”

Additionally, Blair says it is essential that all three levels of government work together to rebuild as quickly, efficiently and as resilient as possible.

“We used to talk about the 100 year floodplain or 300 year flood plains of once in a generation type of a storm but unfortunately, the frequency and the severity of climate related events has been accelerating and as a result of climate change.”

While Blair says he hears the sense of urgency to rebuild communities impacted by flooding, he says number one priority is doing it right.

“I think it’s really important that we do the work of making sure that as we rebuild the investments, public dollars in resiliency and we create a safer environment for Canadians, it’ll save lives. It’ll save money and it will make those communities safer places to live.”

He says he will soon be meeting with Merritt Mayor Michael Goetz to discuss how the city can access more supports.

“I have been very impressed by the commitment of all of the people have Merritt to rebuild their community in a way which is smart and resilient and I am looking forward to my conversation with Mayor Goetz about why I’m anxious to have the opportunity to continue to work with the good people of that town, and in every town that’s been impacted by these floods.”