Travel order extended for highway, flood evacuees can get funding

The B.C. government is working with the Canadian Red Cross to provide additional financial help to people evacuated due to flooding.

Funding will be provided by the Red Cross to those whose primary residences were put on evacuation orders due to the flooding and extreme weather events last week.

Eligible households will receive $2,000.

Public safety minister Mike Farnworth told a provincial update on Tuesday, it’s funded by the Red Cross and the province.

“It’s similar to the situation that we had during the fires, so it’s for people who have been evacuated, just like during the fire season,” said Farnworth.

To access the supports, evacuated British Columbians need to register with the Red Cross by calling 1-800 863-6582, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. (Pacific time).

To donate to the Canadian Red Cross’s British Columbia Floods & Extreme Weather Appeal, click here.

Farnworth said the next nine or ten days could be challenging due to new storms in the province.

“Rain is once again hitting our province with more on the way. This will impact already soaked lands and waterways,” advised Farnworth.

Meantime, the province has extended an essential travel order for the Highway 7 corridor to include the segment between Agassiz and Mission to ensure essential goods and services get delivered.

Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said as they continue to work towards reopening Highway 1 in the Fraser Valley, they need to ensure the supply chain can move with limited disruption.

“Whether it’s milk trucks, fuel trucks or food deliveries, these essential goods are struggling right now to get through some of the congestion we’re seeing in the Lower Mainland,” Fleming explained.

Fleming noted CP Rail is still scheduled to be back up and running today and CN Rail could be operational by Wednesday.

“The ability to move essential goods by rail is a major development, not just for B.C, but for all of Canada,” Fleming remarked.

Fleming said the Highway 3 to Highway 7 corridor is currently the only east-west route for commercial vehicles due to the significant damage to the Coquihalla Highway and Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon.

He said Highway 3 was closed for a few hours near Manning Park on Monday to allow geotechnical engineers to ensure a site damaged in last week’s storm was still safe to use.

Phase 1 of a three-step, return-home plan started today in Merritt where all 7,000+ residents were evacuated last week.

Mayor Linda Brown was warning the first group of about 1,500 evacuees that they are coming home to a city that’s changed.

They are being asked to put as little sewage as possible down the drain because it can’t be processed, and to use as little water as possible to preserve supplies for the fire department.

There is also a boil water order in effect and the city’s hospital isn’t running.

(With files from The Canadian Press)