TOWNSHIP OF ESQUIMALT STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: April 8, 2024 Report No. DEV-24-021
TO: Council
FROM: Karen Hay, Policy Planner and Bill Brown, Director of Development Services
SUBJECT: Gorge Waterway Coastal Flood Adaptation grant opportunity
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That Council resolves that the Township of Esquimalt supports a regional application to the Union of BC Municipalities Community Emergency Preparedness Fund - Disaster Risk Reduction - Climate Adaptation Grant and supports the City of Victoria as the project lead (primary applicant) for the Gorge Waterway Coastal Flood Adaptation Strategy, which includes approval to apply for, receive, and manage the grant funding on the Township of Esquimalt's behalf.
Body
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Township of Esquimalt has been invited by the City of Victoria to join the District of Saanich, and Town of View Royal in applying for a Union of BC Municipalities Community Emergency Preparedness Fund - Disaster Risk Reduction - Climate Adaptation Grant to study the potential impacts of sea level rise on the Gorge Waterway and Portage Inlet, its coastal environment, surrounding lands, and infrastructure. If successful, the Capital Regional District would provide in-kind support.
Indigenous communities will be contacted to determine their desired level of participation in the project; they include the Songhees, Esquimalt, Tsartlip, Tseycum, Tsawout and Pauquachin First Nations. A letter will be sent to the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, and the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council to inform the Nations of the project and gauge their interest.
As a partnership the grant request would be for $350,000 in funding. As a partner (sub-applicant) it is estimated Esquimalt staff would dedicate approximately 300 hours as in-kind support, over the two years of the project.
BACKGROUND:
The Union of British Columbia Municipalities’ Community Emergency Preparedness Fund under the Disaster Risk Reduction - Climate Adaptation stream supports projects that increase community resilience by reducing risks associated with natural and climate-related hazards through the provision of data, building partnerships, and supporting long-term disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation planning.
The Township of Esquimalt’s Official Community Plan recognizes the Gorge Waterway as a natural area to protect and enhance with the following policies:
Policy: As an estuarine environment, the Gorge Waterway is recognized as a valuable natural asset providing specialized habitat and ecological functions for a variety of species.
Policy: The naturalization of the riparian area of the Gorge Waterway is recognized as being critical to maintaining its proper ecological functioning.
The Township of Esquimalt’s Adaptation Planning Guide identifies potential risks from sea level rise and extreme weather, with specific sea-level rise risks for local historical and cultural sites. The combination of sea level rise, extreme weather, and high tide events could exacerbate damage to the coastal environment, land, and infrastructure.
The project area of the Gorge Waterway and Portage Inlet forms a six-kilometer long, narrow arm of marine waters and heavily developed shoreline. The area continues to support a biologically diverse population of plants and animals including valued ecosystems such as eelgrass meadows and salt marshes. The area is part of the federally designated Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary and functions as a tidal estuary with several inflowing streams and rivers (Colquitz River, Craigflower Creek, Hospital Creek, Gorge Creek, and Cecelia Creek) which include two salmon bearing streams. It is also home to an abundant population of Olympia oysters, a federally listed species of special concern.
In 2021, the Capital Regional District, in collaboration with local municipalities, including the City of Victoria, developed the Regional Coastal Flood Inundation Mapping Project to better understand regional impacts from coastal storm flooding due to sea level rise and tsunamis. Over the course of the project, 222 distinct areas were analyzed for coastal storm inundation for various storm surge and sea level rise scenarios and developed coastal flood construction levels for the capital region. The Gorge Waterway was one of the sites selected for detailed inundation modelling due to its low-lying topography, potential susceptibility to coastal inundation and relatively high population density; the results indicated increasing vulnerability to coastal flooding as mean sea levels increase.
ANALYSIS:
Under the British Columbia Local Government Act, local governments are responsible for managing natural hazards through land use planning and regulations. The 2004 provincial Flood Hazard Area Land Use Management Guidelines provide direction for local governments to implement land use management plans and make subdivision approval decisions for flood hazard areas. It is the responsibility of each municipality and electoral area to review, interpret and consider how to implement the Guidelines, and incorporate them into related local land use regulatory, policy, and planning tools.
With sea level rise increasing the risk of flooding in the Gorge, the development of a coordinated Gorge Coastal Flood Adaptation Strategy will minimize risks and vulnerabilities in the project area by prioritizing coastal flood adaptation actions which can be undertaken by participating municipalities. The project will engage with stakeholder groups and individuals in the Capital region to increase public understanding of the impacts of coastal flooding in the Gorge Waterway and Portage Inlet and build capacity to effectively respond to climate change impacts over time.
OPTIONS:
1. Provide City of Victoria with a Council Resolution supporting partnering in the Union of BC Municipalities Community Emergency Preparedness Fund - Disaster Risk Reduction - Climate Adaptation Grant application. (Recommended)
2. Decline the invitation by not providing a Council resolution.
COUNCIL PRIORITY:
Climate Resilience and Environmental Stewardship
Engaged and Healthy Community
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
This invitation represents an opportunity to collaborate with regional partners and stakeholders, and benefit from shared expertise in developing a coordinated strategy with minimal expense to the Township. The grant request of $350 000 would include contractor expenses. The City of Victoria staff estimate spending $30,000 in-kind time on the project. In-kind staff hours as a partner and engaged stakeholder would be part of Esquimalt’s contribution, estimated at approximately 300 staff hours, over the two years scheduled for the project. Staff from various departments would be asked to engage.
COMMUNICATIONS/ENGAGEMENT:
If successful in the grant application, the project’s engagement activities would contribute to an increased regional public understanding of the potential impacts of sea level rise on this local waterway, adjacent land, and infrastructure.
TIMELINES & NEXT STEPS:
The project would take place over two years beginning upon grant approval. An initial application was submitted on March 28, 2024, by the City of Victoria. The second step in the application process requires Council resolutions from all applicants and partners (sub-applicants).
REPORT REVIEWED BY:
1. Bill Brown, Director of Development Services, Reviewed
2. Ian Irvine, Director of Finance, Reviewed
3. Deb Hopkins, Director of Corporate Services, Reviewed
4. Dan Horan, Chief Administrative Officer, Concurrence
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
1. Disaster Risk Reduction - Climate Adaptation 2023/24 Program and Application Guide