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NEWS – SRD Receives $350,000 to Support Climate Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Projects

The grant will fund risk assessments, tsunami education signs, and a beaver coexistence flood mitigation project on Kw’as Bay Road, Cortes Island.

Campbell River, BC – The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) has received $354,960.60 through Intake #5 of the Disaster Risk Reduction / Climate Adaptation grant funding stream to undertake risk assessments, install tsunami education signs and undertake a beaver coexistence flood mitigation project for the Kw’as Bay Road area on Cortes Island.

“This grant demonstrates the value of regional collaboration,” said SRD Chair, Mark Baker. “Beaver dams and blocked culverts have caused flooding along Kw’as Bay Road on Cortes Island, posing risks to residents and impacting emergency and recreational park access.  Aligned with the Board’s focus on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Adaptation, our project involves installing three pond levelers and a culvert protection fence to mitigate flooding, reduce risks, and restore wetlands to coexist with beavers, a vital keystone species.”

Beaver coexistence techniques such as pond levelers and culvert protection fencing provide non-lethal solutions to beaver management supporting beaver-maintained wetlands on the landscape. Wetlands provide critical ecosystem services for disaster risk reduction climate adaptation such as:

  • Cleaning and storing water & ground water recharge
  • Mitigating floods and erosional precipitation events
  • Sequestering and storing carbon
  • Moderating climate extremes (heat waves and droughts)
  • Mitigating wildfire

This grant will also fund the following projects:

Risk Assessments
  • Undertake a stability assessment of the slope adjacent to Wickaninnish Road between Gold River Road and Tsa’xana.
  • Provide funding to the Town of Port McNeill to undertake a climate change infrastructure impact assessment.
Education
  • Install Tsunami Evacuation and Boater Safety Signs signs in Ahaminaquus, Ehatis, Holberg, Oclucje, Quatsino, Tahsis, Winter Habour, Yuquot and Zeballos.
  • Produce a documentary about the Kw’as Bay Road Beaver Coexistence / Flood Risk Mitigation Project.

The SRD’s partners on this grant application include the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations, Town of Port McNeill, Nuchatlaht First Nation, Regional District of Mt. Waddington, Village of Tahsis and the Village of Zeballos.

Learn more about the province’s funding efforts to support resilient communities and enhance climate adaptation at https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025EMCR0001-000060

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Media Contact: Shaun Koopman – SRD Manager of Emergency Services   |   250-830-6702   |   preparedness@srd.ca