Extreme Weather Preparedness for Agriculture Program

On this page:

• Program overview
• Program eligibility
• Program timeline
• Apply for the program
• Extreme heat preparedness stream
• Flooding preparedness stream
• Innovation projects
• Wildfire preparedness stream
• Reimbursement

Program overview

The pilot of the Extreme Weather Preparedness for Agriculture Program (the program) invites farm and ranch businesses to apply for a new provincial cost-share funding opportunity that aims to increase farm-level climate resilience to extreme weather events.  

Funding is available under three streams for the first pilot intake:

1. Extreme heat preparedness
2. Flooding preparedness
3. Wildfire preparedness

In addition to the above three streams, funding may be available for innovation projects.

Program eligibility

To be eligible for the program, applicants must meet all of these eligibility requirements:

1. Be a primary production agriculture business whose primary purpose is the production and sale of agricultural products, and must be a B.C. registered business entity, including sole proprietor, partnership, corporations, cooperatives, Indigenous economic development corporations, and band-owned businesses

2. Be a taxable entity, e.g., individual, corporation or trust, limited partnership, commune, cooperative with a GST and business number, or First Nation Band

3. Have their main farmstead in British Columbia and files farm income tax (form T2042 or T1273) under the Income Tax Act in British Columbia*.

* Licensed aquaculture producers, and federally licensed cannabis or hemp producers are exempt from having to meet criteria #3; however, aquaculture operations need to provide their valid aquaculture license number, while cannabis or hemp producers must provide proof of either their standard-cultivators, micro-cultivators, or industrial hemp license as issued by Health Canada under the Cannabis Act or Industrial Hemp Regulations, and in be good standing in order to be eligible for the program. The personal production of medicinal cannabis is not eligible for this program.

Indigenous applicants

The Province is committed to supporting the success of Indigenous businesses in the agriculture and food sector. We understand that Indigenous businesses may have distinct characteristics reflecting regulatory, operational, cultural, and other factors. Program delivery aims for flexibility to reduce barriers and ensure the accessibility. If you are interested in applying to the program and have questions about the application process or eligibility criteria, please contact program staff at Extreme.Weather.Preparedness@gov.bc.ca.

Wildfire preparedness stream

The Wildfire Preparedness Stream is offered in partnership with BC Wildfire Services and FireSmart BC™.

Applicants are required to first conduct a FireSmart Critical Infrastructure Assessment with a pre-approved Firesmart Professional before November 15, 2024. The cost of FireSmart Critical Infrastructure Assessments will be reimbursed to a maximum of $2,000 per applicant.

After successfully completing the FireSmart Critical Infrastructure Assessment (CIA), applicants will be eligible to apply for select on-farm projects to address recommendations from the assessment.

Wildfire approved applicants may receive between 25-50 percent cost-share reimbursements for selected on-farm projects up to a maximum of $35,000.

The Wildfire Preparedness project category list is based on approved FireSmart practices and includes:

• FireSmart critical infrastructure assessment (required)
• Farm building retrofits
• Critical farm structures upgrades
• Addressing vegetation and combustible materials 
• Farm structures sprinkler protection project

Note: Applicants with a FireSmart critical infrastructure assessment within the last five years can apply directly to the Province for eligible wildfire preparedness projects.

Details of eligible and ineligible items, cost-share and funding caps, project application requirements, project reimbursement requirements, and additional project resources for each category are in Appendix A of the Spring 2023 Guide (PDF, 6.5 MB)

Flood preparedness stream

With a large portion of B.C.’s highest-capability agricultural land located in floodplains, much of the province’s most productive agricultural land is increasingly vulnerable to extreme flooding. This stream targets farm and ranch businesses that are at risk from flooding and provides cost-share payments to increase on-farm flood resiliency.

Approved applicants may receive between 30-80 percent cost-share reimbursements for select on-farm projects up to a maximum of $35,000. A critical infrastructure assessment will not be required for this stream.

Flooding preparedness project categories include:

• Planning and design of fill pads for farm buildings
• Fill pads for farm buildings
• Well protection
• Improved on-farm fuel storage
• Flood resilient storage for farm products
• Flood resilient feed storage
• Flood resilient apiary overwintering and equipment storage

Details of eligible and ineligible items, cost-share and funding caps, project application requirements, project reimbursement requirements, and additional project resources for each category are in Appendix B of the Spring 2023 Guide (PDF, 6.5 MB).

Extreme heat preparedness stream

Livestock and horticulture crop operations are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat events. Heat stream targets farmers who are most at risk of extreme heat events and aims to support infrastructure and equipment upgrades that will reduce on-farm vulnerabilities.

Approved applicants may receive between 20-60 percent cost share reimbursements for select on-farm projects up to a maximum of $35,000. A critical infrastructure assessment will not be required for this stream.

Extreme heat project categories include:

• Improved barn and indoor aquaculture cooling systems
• Extreme heat protection for horticulture crops
• Extreme heat protection for outdoor livestock-shade trees
• Extreme heat protection for outdoor livestock and seafood farms-infrastructure
• Enhanced livestock watering to mitigate heat stress
• Cooling systems for outdoor aquaculture operations

Details of eligible and ineligible items, cost-share and funding caps, project application requirements, project reimbursement requirements, and additional project resources for each category are in Appendix C of the Intake 3 Program Guide (PDF, 6.5 MB).

Innovation projects

If you know of an alternative method of achieving extreme weather resiliency that meets the Extreme Weather Preparedness for Agriculture program principles and objectives, and also complies with the terms and conditions of the program, then, we would like to review your proposed project.

Applications for innovation projects will only be assessed after applications for the wildfire, flood and extreme heat have been processed (anticipated for early Summer 2024). These innovation projects will also require a greater amount of upfront information from interested applicants and additional project development work between the applicant and Program team.

To initiate this process, the applicant must first submit their application online. If your project description is eligible for funding and program funding remains, you will be contacted by a program representative in the Summer 2024 with more details.

For more information, please refer to page 10 of the Spring 2023 Guide (PDF, 6.5MB).

Reimbursement

The program accepts reimbursement documents by e-mail only. To initiate the process, the applicant should submit their complete reimbursement document package to Extreme.Weather.Preparedness@gov.bc.ca.

To obtain your project reimbursement in a timely manner, all the approved projects and assessments must be completed, and financial reimbursement claim (FRC) forms (DOCX, 73KB) submitted to our office by January 15, 2024. 

Financial reimbursement claim forms must be accompanied by all invoices/receipts and include proof of payments. Please use the FRC form to track your project expenses, in-kind contributions, and proof-of-payments.

A reimbursement checklist is below to help complete this reporting package:

Applicant Declaration and Acknowledgement on page 1 of the Financial Reimbursement Claim Form (FRC)

Signed and dated Financial Reimbursement Claim form.

Accurate “Pre-Approved Amount” and “EWP Agreement #”. Please refer to your project approval letter for this information.

List of all the project expenses (page 2 of FRC)

The list of project expenses should align with the budget submitted with your application.

Copies of all receipts and proof of payment

All project expenses must be supported with a receipt/invoice and proof of payment.

Proof of payment examples include cancelled cheques, credit card and debit card receipts, wire transfer and online transfer receipts, credit card and debit card statements.

In-kind labour and equipment contribution (page 3 of FRC)

"In-kind" refers to use of equipment owned by the farm, and work by operators and labourer that are normally employed by the farm.

Pictures of the project (before, during, after if possible/appropriate) and a photo of the final work with yourself in it

Map of the area for the completed project

Direct deposit form (optional)

For your convenience, we have enclosed the Direct Deposit Application Form (PDF, 694KB) if you want to be reimbursed this way; otherwise, the ministry will send you a cheque.

CIA assessment (wildfire applicants only)

If your FireSmart Critical Infrastructure Assessment (CIA) assessment includes farm pictures and maps identifying the project locations, you may not need to submit separate pictures or maps with the claim form.

Useful tips: 

• Once a project is approved, it must be completed as per the application/budget.
• Refundable tax (GST) is not reimbursed through this program.
• Proof of payment must be under the legal name on your application.
• Cash payments will not be eligible, unless accompanied by an official company voucher and proof of payment.
• Expenses incurred prior to project approval or after the project completion date are ineligible for reimbursement.
• Projects will be considered cancelled if this paperwork is not received by January 15, 2024. 

Business planning support

Wondering if the Extreme Weather Preparedness projects are the right investment for your operation, or that the timing is right for you to take one this type of project? 

Get help with this decision by connecting with the Agri-Business Planning Program, which provides support to assess the feasibility of farm businesses to fund and/or implement on-farm projects along with identifying opportunities to increase cash flow, production and financial performance.

For more information and funding opportunities, please visit the Agri-Business Planning Program.

Acknowledgement  

Funding is provided under the provincial Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy (CPAS)