From April through June 2017, catastrophic flooding devastated parts of the Okanagan, Kootenay and Shuswap regions forcing thousands of British Columbians from their homes. According to the BC Flood and Wildfire Review released last month, the estimated cost of flood response in 2017 was more than $73 million.

Just a year later, while many families and communities are still dealing with the aftermath of the 2017 flood season, the 2018 flood season is well underway in B.C. and across Canada and the early indications are that it will be similar in scale and impact. 

It will be months before we know the monetary cost of 2018 flood response but the needs are already immediate, apparent and growing.

That's why your BCGEU executive committee is proud to donate $5,000 to the Canadian Red Cross in British Columbia to support flood relief efforts in our province. There are many worthy charities and non-profits working in the area of disaster recovery but your executive committee chose to donate to the Red Cross in order to take advantage of the B.C. government's pledge to match up to $20 million in donations to the Red Cross for those affected by the catastrophic floods this spring.

The government's dollar-to-dollar matching pledge covers all individual donations made between May 16 and July 31.

More information on the B.C. government's donation matching pledge 

More information on the Red Cross 2018 B.C. flood response 

More information on the 2017 B.C. Flood and Wildfire Review 

UWU/MoveUP