COASTAL ADAPTATION PLAN – UNION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA MUNICIPALITIES (UBCM) GRANT APPLICATION

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT a grant application for the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) be supported for the Coastal Adaptation Plan as per the January 11, 2023 report from the Senior Planner titled “Coastal Adaptation Plan – Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) Grant Application”;

AND THAT staff apply for, receive, and manage the grant funding.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to seek Council’s endorsement on the submission of a grant application to fund the Town’s Coastal Adaptation Plan.

TIME CRITICAL:

The grant application deadline is February 24, 2023.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The grant application for the Coastal Adaptation Plan requires a Council resolution to apply for, receive, and manage the grant funding.

BACKGROUND:

Coastal Adaptation Plan

The Coastal Adaptation Plan is a project identified in the 2022-2026 Financial Plan for implementation in 2024. The purpose of the plan is to:

a. collect more detailed information on coastal flooding risks ($60,000) b. develop policies to address hazards such as sea level rise and tsunamis on private property and Town-owned lands and infrastructure ($50,000).

The first phase of the project would build on the Capital Regional District’s (CRD) 2019/2021 Coastal Inundation Mapping Project (which mapped and recommended construction levels at a regional scale) by examining the Town’s coastline in more detail and considering local issues such as slope characteristics. Figure 1. below shows an example of a 2021 study conducted by the City of Colwood that is similar to what is proposed for the first phase of the Coastal Adaptation Plan.

To mitigate the coastal flooding risks such as sea level rise and tsunamis, the second phase of the project is to develop policies and strategies that could include new development permit area regulations and lead to capital plans to protect or relocate Town infrastructure.

DISCUSSION:

The 2022-2026 Financial Plan anticipated the Coastal Adaptation Plan (see Attachment 1) to be funded by Casino revenue, or by a grant if one became available and was approved. The Community Emergency Preparedness Fund is suite of Province of BC funding programs administered by the Union of BC Municipalities, and the Coastal Adaptation Plan qualifies for the “disaster risk reduction-climate adaptation” funding stream. The application deadline is February 24, 2023.

The grant application requires that Council endorse the Town’s application submission by directing staff to apply for, receive and manage the grant funding. The grant request is for $110,000 and would cover expenditures related to the project such as consultant costs, public information, and engagement with experts and the community. Routine costs such as overhead or staff time are not eligible for the grant.

SUSTAINABILITY/CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS:

Support for the grant application would enable the collection of more detailed information and the development of policies to address coastal flooding risks and mitigate climate change impacts.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:

If the grant application is not successful, the project could be deferred for funding consideration in 2024.

CONCLUSION:

The Province requires Council’s support as a part of the grant application for the Coastal Adaptation Plan. If the grant application is supported, staff will submit the grant application and report back to Council on the result.

CONCURRENCE:

REVIEWED BY:

ATTACHMENTS:

1. 2022-2026 Financial Plan excerpt – Coastal Adaptation Plan Project Summary (2 pages)