Spending money to save money
News
Posted By Gene Still
Updated 1 month ago
The recent announcement by the provincial government to allocate up to $15 million under the disaster financial assistance (DFA) program was welcome news for those who qualify for the funding help.
Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton who is responsible for the Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization (EMO), said the funds are for parts of the province that were damaged by "major storms" that hit Manitoba during this spring and summer.
Money Available
The available money is for areas - including the Rural Municipality of Morris - that were affected by spring flooding and other parts of province damaged by high amounts of rainfall this year.
And while making this funding available will no doubt help those who need it, the question that remains is what about more flood prevention?
Flood prevention is a difficult and often expensive challenge. But at the very least taking more steps to reduce the damage caused by the unwanted ritual of areas like Morris and the Red River Valley essentially having their residents holding their breath every spring over the ever present threat of flooding, makes sense.
Steps were taken following the Flood of the Century in 1997 to improve diking systems and drainage in order to reduce the damage caused by that "natural disaster". Millions upon millions of dollars were also spent to help bolster the water handling capabilities of the Red River Floodway that protects the City of Winnipeg.
Investing To Prevent Future Damage
The basic reasoning behind the money spent improving the floodway was as a type of investment to further protect city residents against the potentially devastating impact of floodwaters and the equally devastating impact of governments paying out even more money to compensate flood victims.
It's a similar approach that needs to be taken when it comes to at risk areas like the Red River Valley.
We've proven that approach can be effective in Carman.
The Boyne River Diversion not only protects town residents and gives them a confidence regarding the annual spring thaw or as we've witnessed this year, coping with absurd amounts of heavy rainfall. It also has saved money for all levels of goverment and all taxpayers from having to finance flood clean-up and compensate residents for the damage caused by flooding.
It's a matter of spending money to save even more money over the long-term.
And that's the type of approach that needs to be taken when it comes to reducing the annual spring flood or other flood threats in the Red River Valley.
Whether it's increasing drainage handling capabilities, improving diking systems or creating new ones or perhaps floodway type systems (if possible), spending money now will not only protect the people but save money for every one in the long run.
It's a rare investment opportunity for governments that is essentially guaranteed to pay dividends for today and in the future.
