Brampton: Ms. Ruby Sahota, the Member of Parliament for Brampton North, recognizes that existing properties in Brampton’s historic downtown core need to be better protected from extreme weather incidents through the construction, rehabilitation and expansion of infrastructure assets.
That is why, MP Sahota joined the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure to announce funding improvements for Downtown Brampton Flood Protection project, commonly known as the Riverwalk Project.
Key elements of this project will aim to widen a 600-metre concrete channel through downtown Brampton, replace bridges and raise roadways.
The current channel, built-in 1952, will be widened and deepened to increase Etobicoke Creek capacity levels, bridges in the project area will be replaced with larger span structures and elevated roadways will prevent flooding into urban areas.
The Government of Canada is investing more than $38.8 million through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF). The City of Brampton is contributing over $58.2 million to the project.
“This important investment will protect the city from flooding while unlocking the economic potential of downtown Brampton,” said MP Sahota.
“The Riverwalk Project removes flood risk and is expected to unlock 3.6 million square feet of residential, commercial and retail space in the downtown, creating more than 23,000 jobs and a $1.4 billion impact on the GDP.”
Downtown Brampton lies within the Etobicoke Creek floodplain. Provincial policies around hazard management have so far restricted the type and amount of development that can occur there today. Riverwalk is a two-part solution to removing the flood risks and creating a new, open urban space to revitalize Brampton’s downtown.