City of Merritt renewing push for federal flood assistance funding

It has been more than four years since devastating floods forced the evacuation of Merritt, as the wastewater plant was incapacitated by the rising waters of the Coldwater River.

Merritt and its flood recovery team have been working ever since to secure funding to help rebuild the dike system through town.

The province has brought forward more than $100 million of funding, including to rebuild the Middlesboro Bridge.

That has Mayor Mike Goetz looking to the federal government to finally step up.

“The feds have to get on board here. The province has given us $160 million. They repaired our bridge, so we don’t need to go to them anymore. They have done their part, and they have worked a lot of hours with our ROC team,” Goetz told CFJC News. “It’s now time for the feds to get on board. The five mayors are working on a plan to make this presentation and meet with the prime minister, or meet with the prime minister’s aides, but we need to get this back out.”

Goetz is gathering support from fellow mayors in the area, including Princeton, Hope, and Abbotsford, for a trip to Ottawa. where they will again push for funding assistance.

“Before this tenure ends for me in October, I need that last 30 per cent,” said Goetz. “And the way it’s going to work is that all of us are in agreement that it’s all of us or none of us. You can’t just cherry-pick. You made promises all the way across, so we need to start seeing those promises come to fruition. And we will continue to push for that.”