November 18, 2020 – BRAMPTON

Ensuring that Brampton’s historic downtown core is protected from extreme weather incidents is a priority for Brampton’s federal Members of Parliament, as well as The Government of Canada. That can only be done through the construction, rehabilitation, and expansion of important infrastructure assets. 

Today, the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities along with Sonia Sidhu, Member of Parliament for Brampton South, and Patrick Brown, Mayor of Brampton, announced funding improvements for the Downtown Brampton Flood Protection project. 

The Government of Canada is investing more than $38.8 million through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF). The City of Brampton is contributing over $58.2 million to the project.

Key elements of this project will aim to widen a 600 metre concrete channel through downtown Brampton, replace bridges and raise roadways. The current channel, built in 1952, will be widened and deepened to increase Etobicoke Creek capacity levels, bridges in the project area will be replaced with larger span structures and elevated roadways will prevent flooding into urban areas.

Quotes

“The Government of Canada’s Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund supports large-scale infrastructure projects to help communities better manage the risks of disasters triggered by natural hazards.  The $38.8 million investment will help transform Brampton, ensure safety for residents, and will limit the impact of floods on local businesses.”

The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

“The Government of Canada is proud to partner with the City of Brampton for infrastructure enhancements made through the Downtown Brampton Flood protection project. The upgrades will not only protect our residents and business owners, it will also help with the revitalization and transformation of Brampton’s downtown core.”

Sonia Sidhu, Member of Parliament for Brampton South

Quick facts

• The Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF) is a $2-billion, 10-year program to help communities build the infrastructure they need to better withstand natural hazards such as floods, wildfires, earthquakes and droughts.
• To date, close to $1.9 billion has been announced through DMAF for 66 large-scale infrastructure projects that will help protect communities across the country from the threats of climate change.
• DMAF is part of the federal government’s Investing in Canada plan, which is providing more than $180 billion over 12 years for public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and rural and northern communities.
• To support Canadians and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new stream has been added to the over $33-billion Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to help fund pandemic-resilient infrastructure. Existing program streams have also been adapted to include more eligible project categories.
• The COVID-19 Resilience Stream will help other orders of governments whose finances have been significantly impacted by the pandemic by increasing the federal cost share for public infrastructure projects.
• The Canada Healthy Communities Initiative will provide up to $31 million in existing federal funding to support communities as they deploy innovative new ways to adapt spaces and services to respond to immediate and ongoing needs arising from COVID-19 over the next two years.