Five southern B.C. communities impacted by repeated flooding disasters are joining forces in hopes of finally securing long-term federal investment in critical transportation and flood mitigation infrastructure.

The communities of Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Hope, Merritt and Princeton have formally launched the West Coast Corridor Resiliency Partnership — or WCCRP — ahead of next month’s Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference in Ottawa.

The newly formed partnership is focused on advocating for coordinated investments in flood mitigation, climate adaptation and transportation corridor resilience following the devastating atmospheric river events of 2021 and additional flooding events in late 2025.

Merritt Mayor Mike Goetz says the idea for the coalition was sparked earlier this year after discussions between community leaders who have all faced similar recovery struggles.

“We’ve all experienced the same thing, and we’re all in this corridor,” Goetz said.

“So I got a hold of them and said, hey, you know what, maybe we should speak together, all five of us as one voice, pushing towards flood mitigation.”

The partnership aims to strengthen protections for major trade, transportation, agricultural and energy corridors that connect the Interior and Lower Mainland to the rest of Canada.

Goetz says Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent comments about protecting Canada’s trade corridors reinforced concerns local governments have been raising for years.

“The minute he said that, I said to myself, well, we have a weakness,” Goetz explained.

“You’re only as strong as your weakest link, and the weakest link at this point is this corridor.”

During the 2021 atmospheric river disaster, multiple highways were severed, including key routes through the Fraser Canyon and Coquihalla corridor, leaving Highway 3 through Princeton as the only viable route to the coast for a period of time.

Goetz says the economic and public safety risks remain significant if long-term flood mitigation projects are not completed.

“Goods can’t get to market. Energy can’t get to market,” he said.

“It’s a vital corridor. It’s absolutely vital that it’s kept open and it’s absolutely vital that it’s protected.”

The mayor also voiced frustration with what he describes as a lack of federal follow-through since the 2021 disaster.

According to Goetz, Merritt has received roughly $160 million in provincial support over the past four years but no direct federal funding toward its flood mitigation work.

“We need them to be partners with us and help us rebuilding,” he said.

“Promises were made by the minister at the time and the prime minister at the time when they came to the photo ops, got the pictures done, said, ‘Hey, we won’t forget you. We’ll help you rebuild.’ And there’s been absolutely nothing for any of these communities in almost five years.”

The WCCRP initiative will be formally highlighted during the upcoming Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference running June 4 to 7 in Edmonton, where participating mayors hope to engage directly with federal officials.

The partnership says it also plans to serve as an ongoing platform for collaboration and information-sharing between municipalities dealing with climate-related infrastructure threats.

More information about the initiative is available through the West Coast Corridor Resiliency Partnership website.