The City of Peterborough is receiving over $2.1 million in federal funding for infrastructure improvements to help protect Peterborough residents and property from flooding.
The federal funding, announced Friday (January 13) by Whitby MP Ryan Turnbull on behalf of federal infrastructure minister Dominic LeBlanc and Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal, will support the city’s $5.44 million project to increase capacity of the Armour Road sanitary sewer, complete storm sewer upgrades, and rehabilitate the Curtis Creek channel.
“Flooding disasters impact municipalities across Ontario and climate change is expected to only bring more flooding,” MP Turnbull says in a media release. “Projects like this help to protect our communities from damage during flooding events — safeguarding homes, businesses, and residents.”
The federal funding comes from the Government of Canada’s Disaster and Mitigation Adaptation Fund, launched in 2018 with an initial investment of $2 billion to help communities build the infrastructure they need to better withstand natural hazards such as floods, wildfires, earthquakes, and droughts. In 2021, the Government of Canada invested an additional $1.375 billion to the fund.
The city’s Curtis Creek project, by rehabilitating the creek’s shoreline and by completing sanitary and storm sewer upgrades, will improve the waterway’s health while reducing overland flooding, sanitary sewer back-ups, and basement flooding in nearby areas. According to the Government of Canada, every dollar that is invested in adapting and preparing for climate related disasters returns $13 to $15 in benefits.
“Infrastructure improvements are essential as the City of Peterborough continues to mitigate impacts of climate change,” says Mayor Leal. “Thank you to the Government of Canada for contributing to the city’s investment in the Curtis Creek project which will reduce flooding for area residents and businesses, protecting against property damage, and more importantly, protecting the safety and well-being of our residents.”
