The Village of Cache Creek is taking steps to deal with the aftermath of the devastating floods in late April and early May of this year.

Mayor John Ranta says council approved 26 projects as part of its newly created disaster recovery plan, which has an estimated price tag of between 5 and 10 million dollars.

“We’re just waiting for the provincial government to get their stamp of approval, and then you can proceed with the plan,” Ranta said.

“The reason we have to wait for the provincial approval is if you start on a project before you get their approval, then you’re not eligible for any funding [from BC’s Disaster Financial Assistance fund] for that project.”

Ranta says the projects identified in the plan are designed to protect the community from floods like what was seen in the spring.

“We’re focused on prioritizing the projects that will allow us to see a flood like we had this year, not do the type of damage that it did this year,” he said. “What we need to do is bulletproof Cache Creek which is the stream that overflowed, so that it’s not going to create the problems that it created this year.”

Once the province approves Cache Creek’s disaster recovery plan, Ranta anticipates the BC Government will pay for a majority of the costs of flood recovery repairs; however, he says local taxpayers will still have to fork up some of the costs.

“The local taxpayers will be on the hook for 10 per cent of the total, so it’s not insignificant. But the province is telling us that we will be eligible for 90 per cent or perhaps even slightly more than that, of the projects approved,” he said.

Ranta says once the province gives the stamp of approval for funding, flood recovery work will get underway.