Criteria extended for provincial wildfire risk reduction projects

B.C is expanding its criteria for the Community Resiliency Investment (CRI) program grants after feedback from Indigenous communities and local governments.

The grants fund eligible wildfire risk reduction projects in the FireSmart Community Funding and Supports category.

The primary goal of the CRI program is to reduce wildfire risks and wildfire impacts in B.C communities. 

Changes to the program’s criteria will take effect for 2021 applicants and will include: 

• Regional districts may now submit a single application for eligible, collaborative FireSmart projects that include multiple electoral areas. The maximum base funding (i.e., $50,000 or $150,000, depending on the demonstrated wildfire risk) may be increased by up to $50,000 for each electoral area included in the application.
• The grant amount for eligible applicants facing a lower wildfire risk has been increased from a maximum of $25,000 to a maximum of $50,000. 
• The new Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan supplemental instruction guide and template are now available to help communities assess wildfire risks and guide their risk reduction activities. The new template is a result of a comprehensive review of the government’s approach to community wildfire resiliency planning, conducted by the BC FireSmart Committee and the BC Wildfire Service.

The Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) administers the $60-million Firesmart Community Funding and Supports category of the Community Resiliency Investment program. 

The application intake for the FireSmart Community Funding and Supports category is open and runs until October 9th of this year. 

If you would like to learn more about the program or would like to apply, visit the UBCM’s website.