Dike Upgrade: What the $11M Grant Covers—and What It Doesn’t

The Province has provided $11 million toward Harrison’s dike upgrade. Engineers propose a system using deployable (temporary) flood barriers, allowing dike height to be increased when needed, while staying within the grant amount.

This approach can work-but only if it’s treated as an operational system, not just a construction project.

What the grant covers

• Design and construction of the deployable system

• Storage and core infrastructure

What determines whether it actually protects the Village

• Training: how many staff, how often, and to what standard

• Inspections: scheduled testing and condition checks

• Annual costs: training, drills, storage, replacement parts

• Availability: what happens if trained staff aren’t available during an event

Temporary barriers fail silently if training or inspections slip.
For this solution to be credible, Council must:

• Lock in annual operating funding

• Publish training and inspection schedules

• Report readiness every year

Flood protection isn’t just something you build.
It’s something you maintain, practice, and pay for - forever.

Last updated, Jan 03/2026