The Town of Altona has submitted projects for consideration under the province's Mitigation and Prepardness Program (MPP), following the spring's high water event.
The MPP is an optional program to assist municipalities to mitigate against future disasters, and is only established for disasters that are cost-shareable with Canada and when a DFA program is approved by the Manitoba government. When the Province establishes a DFA program that is eligible for cost-sharing with Canada under the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements, municipalities would have the option to either pay the Provincial/Municipal DFA deductible, or opt in to the Mitigation and Preparedness Program (MPP)
Under the MPP, municipalities will receive 100% of eligible DFA costs back from Manitoba, and are required to invest the amount that would have been the deductible into an approved disaster mitigation and preparedness project.
Clint Derksen, Public Works Manager for the Town of Altona, says the community is eligible for $36,000 under the MPP. If approved, the plan would be to put that money towards ditch improvements in each corner of town, with a larger focus in the northwest.
"The ditch that goes between the curling club and the community garden - from there until 14th Avenue. I'd like to reshape that whole ditch so it'll store a lot more water at that end rather than where peoples' homes are," he explained. In fact, that drain runs to the southwest part of town. "That helps a pretty huge area."
There's another project on the list that's located in the southwest corner of town.
"It's a property where, if 4th Street SW were to continue south, it's a town easement there. I think we could better design that to store water in the property rather than in the intersection and constantly be over there closing for rain," added Derksen.
Municipalities interested in applying for the MPP should visit here.