In British Columbia, a town burned down, more than 500 people died in a heat dome, more than 10,000 people were displaced in what could be Canada’s costliest natural flooding disaster ever, and more than 2,000 people are expected to die from illicit drug overdoses, a record amount.

And the pandemic continued.

“It’s unbelievable the challenges that communities and people in B.C. have had to face this year,” said Deputy Premier Mike Farnworth in an interview with CBC News.

Ordinarily, the premier would be conducting traditional year-end interviews with media outlets, but cancer treatments meant the task fell to Farnworth.

As the province’s public safety minister and solicitor general, Farnworth has been at the centre of many of B.C.’s emergencies this year and the challenges people have confronted.

“It’s something that no one should have to face. It’s just unprecedented in this province,” he said.

“But that being said, we live in a remarkable province, with incredibly resilient people … there’s one thing I know we can count on, and that’s British Columbians will come together no matter what happens to make sure we get through.”

Farnworth said both the summer heat dome and fall flooding were “events that we have never seen before in this province, both in a way that they happened and in their impact,” but the province is reviewing both events to be better prepared in the future.

“Are there messages to be learned from this?

Absolutely.” Farnworth indicated the province would be taking over much of the responsibility for dike maintenance and management from municipalities in the new year, in order to allow for a more co-ordinated approach for flood prevention.

“We cannot have a patchwork approach, and that means the province needs to have a much greater role in terms of the diking system, when they’re upgraded, how they’re maintained,” he said.

Farnworth also mentioned the ongoing work to rebuild Lytton and the expansion of the province’s emergency alert system next year as priorities.

2022 will also bring with it a new legislative session, a new B.C. Liberal leader… of the opposition — and Farnworth believes an old face leading key events for the province once again……

Premier John Horgan:

“As he jokes with me, yes the radiation, it makes you feel tired and it’s not the most fun thing to go through, but he said … his wife kind of appreciates the quiet a bit.”