B.C. emergency programs receive $80 million for protection efforts
VICTORIA — The British Columbia government will spend $80 million this year in emergency programs, up from the $65 million it spent last year.
Naomi Yamamoto, minister of state for emergency preparedness, says $32 million will go to the Union of B.C. Municipalities to establish a fund that supports disaster response and recovery programs, including mapping evacuation routes.
She says the government will provide $10 million to numerous public safety groups, including Vancouver’s heavy urban search and rescue team, to support skills training and purchase equipment.
Yamamoto says the $80 million comes from the government’s budget surplus and money in its emergency preparedness fund.