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Labour dispute heads outdoors
Heather Colpitts/Langley Advance
Teacher Rick Branswell, who will be working at the new Yorkson Middle School when school resumes, and Langley Secondary School teacher Gurpreet Mahil were among the Langley Teachers’ Association members at the pedestrian overpass on 200th Street on the hot afternoon of April 15. Members were also out that morning and the association hosted a public forum Wednesday night to spotlight the labour dispute with the provincial government. The LTA has also planned rallies at the offices of Langley MLAs Mary Polak (11 a.m. to noon) and Fort Langley-Aldergrove MLA Rich Coleman (12:30-1:30 p.m.) on July 17 (today).
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Rising Fraser floods threaten Langley The Fraser River is expected to flood more frequently in the future, according to a report released this week. by Matthew Claxton mclaxton@langleyadvance.com
More frequent floods could threaten 300,000 people’s homes and $50 billion worth of property, according to a report on future threats to the Fraser River. The report by the region’s chambers of commerce identifies a host of issues that could hit B.C.’s most important river over the coming decades. The population of the floodplain area, which includes parts of northern Langley and its neighbours, are dependent on 600 kilometres of dikes, 400 flood boxes, and 100 pump stations, said the report. If a record-level flood reoccurred along the river, it could cause tens of billions of dollars worth of damages immediately. Damaged road and rail lines and energy conduits could impact exports and imports for even longer. “Scientists predict that there is a one-inthree chance that a flood of similar magnitude to the record floods along the Lower Fraser
Fraser below the Port Mann Bridge. will occur within the next 50 years,” the The report also says not enough is being report said. The record floods hit in 1894 and 1948, and done to dredge sediment that accumulates in the Lower Fraser every year. both floods turned the village of Fort Langley “This report found that Fraser River cominto an island surrounded by water. munities such as Langley would face catasDuring those floods, the Lower Mainland trophic impacts in the event of flooding,” said was relatively sparsely populated and had Greater Langley Chamber of relatively few paved roads. Commerce president Kristine A flood that overtopped dikes “… there is a oneSimpson. “This report paints to that extent today would in-three chance that a very clear picture that, with affect many more people. risks of this magnitude, our The report calls for major a flood of a similar communities need to partner protective improvements to magnitude to the with government and major avoid the cost of flood damstakeholders to find solutions ages. record floods… will now.” Rising sea levels caused by occur within the next “The Lower Fraser River climate change could make the 50 years.” has significant economic situation worse. importance to the entire The report says 100-year BC Chambers report Lower Mainland region,” said flood events on the Fraser Simpson. “That includes jobs, could now occur as often as economic activity, and tax revenue to local, every four to 10 years. provincial and federal governments. Our very “Climate change will increase the risk of existence as a community would be threatflooding in both the Fraser Valley and the ened if those are impacted.” tidal portions of the river,” said the report. Lower Mainland chambers of commerce The river is tidal as far inland as Langley. will host a forum on the risks to the Lower The cost of upgrading flood defenses and Fraser River this fall in Surrey, meeting with dredging along the Lower Fraser River is various government and First Nations repreestimated at $9.5 billion. Of that, $8.8 billion sentatives. would impact the tidal parts of the Lower