Question: The Shuswap was seriously impacted by flooding last spring. In 2004, the provincial government shifted the responsibility for flood hazard protection and management to local governments.
In light of what happened here, should the responsibility for flood protection be returned to the province?
Tom Birch responds...
All insurance is based on averaging risk over a large sample.
Flood protection is no different. For a community to manage it alone doesn’t work because most communities won’t flood but those that do will be overwhelmed by the cost.
This should be managed at a provincial level so that the risk is averaged and the costs affordable.