Nova Scotia to spend $2.5 million on flood-proofing in Cape Breton

The Cape Breton Regional Municipality will qualify for about $2.5 million from a federal disaster fund to reduce the risk of future flooding.

The announcement comes nearly two yearsafter a devastating Thanksgiving storm.

More than 225 millimetres of rain fell in parts of Cape Breton, including the Sydney area, on Oct. 10, 2016.

Eighteen homes had to be torn down and more than 1,100 damage claims were submitted to the province.

Derek Mombourquette, the MLA forSydney-Whitney Pier,chose the site of a former community centre in south-end Sydney that wasdamaged beyond repair in the stormto announce the latest funding.

"The first step was helping the people that needed it most," said Mombourquette. "The next step was looking at the removal of damaged homes in the area, and now we've moved into the mitigation piece."

To date, the province has used federal disaster funding to:

• Remove the federal cap of $80,000 on damages and eliminate the $1,000 deductible for homeowners
• Buy 18 homes that were beyond repair
• Fund renovations to Brookland Elementary School
• Lease the former Mira Road Elementary School to the Southend Community Development Association,which lost its building in the flood
• Give $500,000 to the United Way of Cape Breton to immediately help people in need

The province also spent $317,500 under the Flood Risk Infrastructure Investment Program for containment and mitigation efforts in Sydney's Wash Brook watershed.

Flood victims have received more than $15.5M

Mombourquette said the province has also sent more than $15.5 million in payments to flood victims.

The latest money will flow to the provincial government through the federal Disaster Financial Assistance Program.

Mombourquette said the province will work with the CBRM to identify and fund infrastructure projects to mitigate the risk of flooding throughout the CBRM, but primarily in the south end of Sydney.

A consultant's report this spring identified 15 measures to help control water flow in the area during heavy rains.

The total cost of the measures would be more than $24 million.

But the consultant cautioned many of those measures would be of loweffectiveness, because the area is built largely on a flood plain.

The CBRM has already budgeted $4 million over the next five years to tackle projects recommended as having the most impact.

It's not clear whether the $2.5 million announced Mondaywill help offset that money, or will be used to fund additional projects.

CBRM councillor Steve Gillespie, who attended the announcement, said that remains to be decided.

"It's a great opportunity to either expand what we currently say we can do, or start immediately on the initial plan," he said.

One homeowner in the area greeted the latest funding with enthusiasm.

"It's good news. They gotta do something right?" said Gordie Rhymes.

His basement flooded during the Thanksgiving Day storm.

His home survived, although he said many of his neighbours lost theirs.

Rhymes said the worry of a repeat event is never far off.

"Sure, it's in the back of your mind. It's always there. But at least something's going to be done and I think it will work. I really do."