Province makes $25 million available for flood, drought mitigation projects

Posted on November 12, 2026 by Ryan Dahlman

By Anna Smith
Southern Alberta Newspapers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The province of Alberta is investing $25 million to strengthen flood and drought protection, with applications now open.

Alberta municipalities, Indigenous communities and other eligible organizations can now apply for funding to protect people, homes and infrastructure from drought and floods. This funding is part of the five-year, $125-million Drought and Flood Protection Program.

“Drought and floods threaten public safety, damage infrastructure and private property and hurt our economy. An additional $25 million will help communities across Alberta build the infrastructure they need,” said Environment Minister Grant Hunter.

Previous funding rounds have covered multiple projects, including safeguarding Medicine Hat’s wastewater treatment plant and rural road crossings in the Municipal District of Taber.

The program recently has been expanded to include corporations with projects that provide broader community benefits, with a cost share structure of 50:50. Government contributions are capped at 30 per cent for corporate-led projects, says the province.

“Rural municipalities are on the front lines of flood and drought mitigation, managing 85 per cent of Alberta’s land,” said RMA president Kara Westerlund. “The Drought and Flood Protection Program has shown to strengthen resilience and protect rural communities and industry.”

The application deadline is Dec. 21, and successful projects are expected to be shovel-ready for the 2027 construction season.

Eligible projects include, but are not limited to drought- and flood-proofing or relocation of critical infrastructure, structural measures such as berms, flood walls or retention ponds and the purchasing of property for relocation or construction of such a project.