Extreme Weather Preparedness

Overview of the Extreme Weather Preparedness program:

Administered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC (IAFBC) and funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), the program offers cost-share reimbursements to eligible farm and agriculture businesses to implement measures that mitigate risks associated with these climate challenges. IAFBC Program Description: The EWP Program provides financial assistance to commercial agriculture and aquaculture primary producers in British Columbia to bolster the resiliency of their existing farming infrastructure. The program is structured into four funding streams: Wildfire Preparedness: Supports activities and infrastructure enhancements aimed at reducing the risk and impact of wildfires on agricultural operations. Flood Preparedness: Assists in implementing measures to protect farms from flooding events. Extreme Heat Preparedness: Focuses on strategies to mitigate the effects of extreme heat on crops and livestock. Innovation Projects: Encourages innovative approaches to address extreme weather challenges in agriculture. Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis, and funding decisions are communicated to applicants within eight weeks of submission. The program aims to reduce direct costs for farmers and increase the sector's preparedness to anticipate, respond to, and recover from climate-related events.

Benefits of the Extreme Weather Preparedness program:

• Financial Support: Assists with costs associated with implementing measures to mitigate risks from wildfires, floods, and extreme heat.
• Enhanced Resilience: Increases the ability of agricultural operations to withstand and recover from extreme weather events.
• Environmental Conservation: Promotes practices that contribute to environmental sustainability and food security.

Eligibility criteria of the Extreme Weather Preparedness program:

• Location: Applicants must have their main farmstead in British Columbia.
• Business Status: Must be a primary production agriculture business with a primary purpose of producing and selling agricultural products.
• Registration: Must be a BC-registered business entity, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, cooperatives, Indigenous economic development corporations, or band-owned businesses.
• Farm Status: Applicants must have farm status and, if involved in raising livestock, a premises ID.
• Tax Filing: Must file farm income tax (form T2042 or T1273) under the Income Tax Act in British Columbia.
• Exceptions: Licensed aquaculture producers and federally licensed cannabis or hemp producers are exempt from the tax filing requirement but must provide valid licenses