Canmore and neighbours make progress on flood mitigation

Fifteen vital flood mitigation projects are completed or well underway in Canmore and neighboring communities within the MD of Bighorn.

“As we know, this area was one of the hardest hit last June, and we needed to work diligently to prepare for this Spring. I am happy to say that we have made great progress in addressing immediate needs for flood mitigation here in Canmore and the surrounding communities, getting funding and support to the areas where it was needed. The significant work on mitigation is also a testament to the dedication of municipal leaders in this part of the province.”

Kyle Fawcett, Minister of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour
The projects, funded in part through the province’s community flood remediation programs, address the specific concerns and needs identified by municipalities. To date, over $200 million has been invested in communites across the province, including $28 million to Canmore and $11 million to the MD of Big Horn.

“We designed our flood mitigation programs to be flexible to meet the needs of individual communities. In Canmore, for example, that meant funding projects to help manage the flow of debris from upstream … a big factor in the in the flooding of Cougar Creek last summer.”

Robin Campbell, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development
The mitigation projects already in place will strengthen flood protection for Canmore this summer with further protection offered as longer-term projects reach completion.

“These projects are a great example of community, Municipal governments and the Provincial government all working together to achieve amazing results in an extremely short period of time. The spirit of cooperation is unprecedented and the completion of many of the projects in time for the spring run-off is a clear demonstration of that”.

Ron Casey, MLA for Banff – Cochrane
“Since last June, all the stakeholders have come together to create solutions that ensure the community of Canmore is protected against a similar event. I’d like to thank the Province, all our stakeholders, the contractors who completed the mitigation work, and the residents who have had construction in their backyards for months. Thank you all for coming together in partnership toward the shared goal of a safe and caring community for Canmore.”

John Borrowman, Mayor of Canmore
In addition to community mitigation, the Government of Alberta is also taking steps towards a number of larger structural flood mitigation projects including a Highwood Diversion, an off-stream storage site at Springbank, a dry dam at the confluence of McLean Creek and the Elbow River, and upgrades to a number of dams and other water management structures.

Under the Building Alberta Plan, our government is investing in families and communities, living within our means, and opening new markets for Alberta’s resources to ensure we’re able to fund the services Albertans told us matter most to them. We will continue to deliver the responsible change Albertans voted for.