Fund Abbotsford flood systems
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to fund flood monitoring, early-warning systems and emergency preparedness for Abbotsford, and to adopt science-based, community-consulted climate-resilient flood plans in the next federal budget. The government responds that it supports monitoring, mapping, local mitigation and has Budget 2025 resilience commitments.
Why we would sign this petition
- Would deliver targeted monitoring and early warnings to help protect homes, farms and businesses in Abbotsford from flood impacts.
- Would fund science‑based, climate‑resilient flood plans with community consultation, improving long‑term preparedness and infrastructure decisions.
- Including actionable measures in the federal budget would mobilize federal funding and coordination to address aging, inadequate flood protections.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Federal budget commitments compete with other national priorities; dedicating measures to one city could displace other needs.
- Flood management is shared with provinces and municipalities; federal action risks duplicating or misaligning with local plans.
- The petition requests broad funding and a budget pledge but provides limited project details, timeline or demonstrated cost‑effectiveness.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA WHEREAS • The City of Abbotsford has experienced high amounts of flooding to its low-lying geography adjacent to the Fraser River and multiple tributaries; • Recent severe flood events have caused widespread damage to homes, businesses, agricultural lands, and critical infrastructure in Abbotsford, with millions of dollars in losses; • Flooding disrupts critical supply chains, trade routes, impacting local and all North America; • The existing flood protection infrastructure, including dikes, levees, and drainage systems, is aging and inadequate to withstand current and future flood risks; • Effective flood mitigation requires substantial investment in modern, climate-resilient infrastructure, advanced monitoring systems, and nature-based solutions. THEREFORE • We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to invest in flood monitoring, early warning systems, and emergency preparedness tailored to Abbotsford's needs by supporting climate-resilient flood management plans based on the latest science and inclusive community consultation. Furthermore, we demand to see actionable plans in the next federal budget to achieve the goals of flood mitigation.
Government response
Response by the Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature Signed by The Honourable Julie Dabrusin With climate change, extreme weather events are more frequent and intense. Canadians from coast to coast to coast are impacted and rely on reliable, timely and accurate weather and water quantity information to take appropriate actions to protect themselves and their properties. The Government of Canada recognizes the significant impacts that these extreme events, including flooding, have on communities. Flooding puts critical infrastructure at risk and impacts local and regional economies. That is why it is critical to adapt to current impacts of climate change and to mitigate these risks. Flood monitoring Environment and Climate Change Canada generate timely, accurate and reliable information about weather and climate-related risks and emergencies in support of emergency preparedness, management and response. Flood management is a shared responsibility across all levels of government: federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal. Provinces and territories have primary legislative responsibilities for managing the water resources within their borders, including land use and flood infrastructure. As such, Environment and Climate Change Canada’s information supports provincial and territorial authorities in forecasting flood conditions and issuing flash flooding and other flood-related risks, alerts and warnings to the public. Early warning systems and Emergency Preparedness The Government of Canada, through the mandate of Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Meteorological Service of Canada, is responsible for alerting Canadians about extreme weather events, including precipitation events. These alerts and warnings play a significant role in informing provincial, territorial, and regional/local flood response efforts, and in supporting Public Safety Canada as the federal lead on emergency management. Government of Canada investments in Flood Mapping The Government of Canada, through two rounds of investment, has invested in the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program led by Natural Resources Canada, with support from Environment and Climate Change Canada and Public Safety Canada. This program aims to help Canadians better plan and prepare for future floods and is one of many measures meant to increase the resiliency of Canadians in the face of the rising frequency and costs of flood events and other climate-related disasters. In partnership with provincial and territorial governments, the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program aims to complete flood hazard maps of higher-risk areas in Canada and make this flood hazard information accessible. These maps will help emergency planning by guiding the placement of evacuation routes, and support land use planning by helping to identify the ideal locations for critical infrastructure and flood mitigation structures like dikes. In coordination with the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program, through the Freshwater Availability project within the National Adaptation Strategy, Environment and Climate Change Canada will also be developing future predictions of streamflow based on various future climate scenarios. This will provide a range of possible outcomes for all of Canada, including watersheds shared with the United States of America. This work will provide valuable information to support climate-resilient flood management plans, encompassing regions such as the Sumas Prairie and the city of Abbotsford. Other related Government of Canada investments from Budget 2025 The Government of Canada’s Budget 2025 committed $2.7 billion over nine years to modernize Environment and Climate Change Canada's High-Performance Computing capacity. This investment is critical, as these advanced systems run the complex models needed for accurate weather forecasts, alerts, warnings, and climate projections. As a result, this enhanced capability directly supports emergency responders, as well as benefits all Canadians to help them make informed decisions to protect against adverse impacts of extreme weather such as heat, flooding or wildfires. Budget 2025 also earmarked $55.4 million over four years, starting in 2026-27, and $13.4 million ongoing, for Public Safety Canada to support a new National Public Alerting System model. The National Public Alerting System is a federal, provincial, and territorial system that disseminates immediate warnings of hazards to life to Canadians. Alerts are currently produced for extreme thunderstorms, tornadoes, and earthquakes at the federal level, as agreed upon with provincial and territorial partners. Environment and Climate Change Canada recognize the importance of the National Public Alerting System for the protection of Canadians against life-threatening hazards and is responsible for the majority of National Public Alerting System alerts, issuing up to nearly 85% of alerts nationwide for extreme thunderstorms and tornadoes. We cannot comment on potential measures for future federal budgets. Response by the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada Signed by Jennifer McKelvie, M.P. The Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their concerns regarding flood monitoring, early warning systems, and emergency preparedness in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada has invested over $545.2 million in 22 projects in British Columbia through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund. This includes the Fraser River Bank Erosion Protection Enhancement Project in Abbotsford, providing $7.2 million to reduce the risk of further erosion on the Fraser River Bank, specifically the erosion of the Matsqui Dyke. In addition, under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, one project related to flood impact mitigation in Abbotsford was also funded: the Barrowtown Pump Station Backup Power Generator project, with a federal contribution of $5.2 million. The recent December 2025 flooding in the same area was a reminder of the impact of nature and the interlinkages between climate change, communities’ needs, trade routes, and deep integration in transboundary regions. The Government of Canada is committed to continue collaborating with local partners to find long-term resilience solutions and reduce risks in that area while balancing the needs of other areas in Canada that are also impacted by more frequent and severe extreme events. Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada programs focus on building resilient and inclusive communities for Canadians. Through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund and other programs, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada supports infrastructure projects designed to mitigate current and future climate-related risks and disasters triggered by natural hazards, such as floods, wildland fires, droughts, and seismic events. Under the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, expenditures that are directly related and necessary to the successful implementation of an eligible project are considered. For example, capital cost, design, and planning could be eligible. All emergency and response services, infrastructure or equipment, unless they are part of a larger fixed infrastructure asset, are ineligible under the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund. The Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund is a competitive and merit-based program. Projects are assessed based on their eligibility and on the quality and completeness of the information presented in the project proposal. Documents must support evidence against the merit criteria presented in the applicant guide. As of November 24, 2025, all funds under the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund are allocated. The Government of Canada also provided over $1.4 billion through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements to support the Province of British Columbia with the cost of response, recovery, and rebuilding after the November 2021 floods. Through the AgriRecovery Framework, up to $228 million in federal-provincial government support was also made available to help British Columbia farmers with the extraordinary costs associated with recovery from flood damages. With extreme weather becoming more severe and frequent year over year, the Government of Canada worked with provinces and territories to modernize the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements to reflect today’s realities. The updated program, in effect since April 1, 2025, prioritizes building back better, and taking a strategic approach to mitigation and disaster risk reduction to reduce future impacts on households. Building on these past investments, Budget 2025 introduced a plan to support public infrastructure projects, including climate resilient infrastructure, across the country through the new Build Communities Strong Fund. The Build Communities Strong Fund will provide $51 billion over 10 years, starting in 2026-27, and $3 billion per year ongoing, to support a wide range of infrastructure priorities, including regionally significant projects, climate adaptation, and community infrastructure. The Provincial and Territorial Stream of Build Communities Strong Fund will make available $17.2 billion to support infrastructure projects, including water and waste-water infrastructure. Within this stream, there will be $5 billion in health infrastructure funding provided over three years, beginning in 2026-27, to support the modernization and expansion of health infrastructure. The Direct Delivery Stream of Build Communities Strong Fund will provide $6 billion over 10 years, starting in 2026-27, to support regionally significant projects, climate adaptation, and community infrastructure. Proponents of regionally significant projects would be required to seek private sector investment, including private investment leveraged through Canada Infrastructure Bank financing. The Canada Community-Building Fund will be rebranded as the initiative’s Community Stream. This stream will provide $27.8 billion over 10 years, starting in 2026-27, and $3 billion per year ongoing, as planned. The Community Stream of Build Communities Strong Fund is a permanent, predictable source of federal funding that provides municipalities with stable, long-term infrastructure funding to support local priorities. Funds are transferred to provinces and territories, who in turn flow the funds to municipalities to allow them the flexibility to invest in a wide range of eligible infrastructure categories, including resilience, drinking water and wastewater, and capacity building. Municipalities can use this funding as an effective way to address flood risks by supporting both physical infrastructure and planning initiatives. Funding can be directed toward flood mitigation and climate-resilient infrastructure such as stormwater management systems, drainage upgrades, flood protection works, natural or green infrastructure, and rehabilitation of existing assets to reduce flood vulnerability. They can also support planning and capacity-building activities, including flood risk and vulnerability assessments, climate adaptation and resilience strategies, and data collection or modeling. Moving forward, the Government of Canada recognizes the concerns raised by local leaders and residents, and it remains committed to working and collaborating with all partners, including provincial, territorial and city officials and Indigenous community representatives, to ensure federal investments are responsive to community needs. Flood mitigation is a shared priority, and the federal government will continue to take action, in partnership with the province of British Columbia, to build a safer, more resilient future for British Columbians and all Canadians.