This morning Mayor Siemens joined Kelly Greene, BC Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness and Lana Popham, BC Minister of Agriculture and Food for an update on the flood situation in Abbotsford.
As of this morning, the floodwaters in Abbotsford have peaked and have begun to gradually recede. There is still overflow water coming across the border from the Nooksack River, but the amount of water is slowly decreasing.
As the water level of the Fraser River has also decreased, the floodgates at Barrowtown Pump Station are open, which is helping to move floodwater out of the Sumas River and into the Fraser.
However, there is still a lot of water, impacting hundreds of properties in our community. There are also a number of significant road closures and people are advised to stay away from any water-covered roads.
City staff are currently working on Return Home plans to get people back into their homes as soon as possible. The Emergency Operations Centre remains active and staff will continue closely monitoring river levels, dikes and road conditions.
4:45 pm - Update following news conference
Following today’s news conference, where Mayor Siemens called on the federal government to take action and provide critical flood mitigation support to the City of Abbotsford, the federal Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience, Eleanor Olszewski, requested to meet with him.
They met this afternoon and the Minister asked how the federal government can support the City of Abbotsford in our flood response. Mayor Siemens reiterated his frustration and concern for timely support and the urgent long-term flood mitigation needs of our community and asked that they actively work with the Province of BC to address the flooding risks impacting Abbotsford. He also asked that they start to participate and play an active role at the leadership table for the Sumas River Watershed Flood Mitigation Plan working group as this work has national and international impact. The Minister advised of potential future grant opportunities that the City may be able to consider.
Mayor Siemens appreciates the Minister reaching out and hopes this time is different and that the Federal Government takes our requests seriously.
Evacuation Orders
View the interactive map showing the active evacuation alerts and orders. Residents can use the search function to confirm whether their property is impacted.
Evacuation Alerts
View the interactive map showing the active evacuation alerts and orders. Residents can use the search function to confirm whether their property is impacted.
