THAT the Regional District submit a grant application for the 2021 UBCM Community Resiliency Investment Program in the amount of $600,000 for the identified work.
Purpose:
The Community Resiliency Investment (CRI) program is a Union of B.C. Municipalites (UBCM) funded initiative to reduce the risk and impact of wildfire to communities in B.C. through community funding, supports and priority fuel management activities on provincial Crown land.
The FireSmart Community Funding and Supports program provides funding to local governments and First Nations in B.C. to increase community resiliency by undertaking community-based FireSmart planning and activities that reduce the community’s risk from wildfire.
Business Plan Objective:
This project is tied to Key Success Driver 3.0: Build a Sustainable Region; 2020 Business Plan and the specific objective of completing FireSmart and Community Wildfire Protection Plan initiatives.
Background:
Under the 2020 CRI Program, the RDOS was awarded a grant of $150,000 for developing a RDOS FireSmart website, amending the Electoral ‘A’ OCP to include FireSmart principles, defining wildfire urban interface Development Permit Areas zones in all nine electoral areas, establishing interagency wildfire planning and FireSmart committee initiatives, FireSmart assessments for Apex, Hedley and Olalla, and for chipping and binning events to provide neighbourhoods with off-site debris disposal. This work is ongoing throughout 2020.
For 2021, the RDOS may submit a single application for eligible, collaborative projects that includes multiple electoral areas up to a maximum $150,000, plus up to $50,000 for FireSmart activities for each electoral area ($450,000) that is included in the application. Thus, the potential total funding available for the RDOS in 2021 is $600,000. The application deadline to UBCM is October 9, 2020. The
RDOS will be advised of the status of their application by February 5, 2021. Under the 2021 CRI Program, the RDOS proposes to apply for the full $600,000 in grant funds to address the recommendations outlined in the 2020 RDOS Community Wildfire Protection Plan and align with eligible 2021 CRI grant activities as follows:
• Education – organize, implement and/or update public meetings, signage, social media, applicant websites and/or newsletters, community site visits, and community education. $141,400
• Development Considerations – revise 2 RDOS OCP’s to incorporate FireSmart principals. $57,500
• Inter-agency Cooperation – participate in multi-agency wildfire and Community FireSmart Resiliency Committe planning tables. $44,000
• FireSmart Training – funding towards local FireSmart representative training. $20,800
• FireSmart Demonstration Project – replace combustible wood siding on the Juniper Pump
Station (Naramata) with non-combustible fibre-cement siding. $17,250
• FireSmart Community Plans – develop FireSmart Neighbourhood Plans. $157,500
• FireSmart residential rebate initiative – for residential property or home owners that complete eligible FireSmart activities. $67,500
• Off-site vegetative debris disposal – chipping and disposal for residential property or home owners who have undertaken their own vegetation management. $62,100
• Fuel Management treatments – on publicly owned land within the RDOS. $31,950
Analysis:
Research has shown that communities that implement FireSmart principles have a greater chance of survival during wildfire. As identified in the BC Flood and Wildfire Review, there is a critical need to
strengthen public understanding of the risks and personal responsibilities associated with living in a fire-dependent ecosystem.” Further, findings from the 2016 Horse River wildfire in Fort McMurray indicate that FireSmart principles were one of the main reasons why individual homes survived, regardless of the broader wildfire threat surrounding them. This was true in both the urban and rural
areas. (Source: Union of BC Municipalities).
Alternatives:
Not to endorse or support the application and discontinue the program.