Alberta Community Resilience Program

Overview

The Alberta Community Resilience Program (ACRP) is a multi-year grant program supporting the development of long-term resilience to flood and drought events, while supporting integrated planning and healthy, functioning watersheds.

The ACRP provides grants for the design and construction of projects that protect critical infrastructure from flooding and drought and help to ensure public safety is protected.

This provincewide, cost-shared capital funding program is not intended to provide emergency funds or duplicate funding opportunities offered by other provincial grant programs.

Funding

Cost share requirements

For approved projects, the Alberta government provides 90% of eligible engineering and construction costs up to $3 million and 70% of costs in excess of $3 million.

Applicants may also be asked to implement their project in phases, so it may be funded over a number of years. Projects in excess of $3 million will be considered for funding over multiple years to ensure effective use of funds.

Funding from other sources

Projects may be funded using multiple funding sources if the project is within the scope of another grant program. Applicants are encouraged to apply to other provincial and federal funding programs to explore cost-sharing opportunities.

Fund allocation

Program funds are allocated to each budget cycle and will be distributed during the assigned fiscal year. Allocation of funds within a fiscal year will depend on the applications received.

There is no limit to funding allocated per project. However, only the highest priority projects provincewide will be funded.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants

The ACRP will provide grants to:

• municipalities
• First Nations
• Metis settlements
• improvement districts
• special areas

Applicant responsibility

By submitting an application under the ACRP, the applicant is agreeing to take on all project liability. Any works funded under this program must be owned and operated/maintained by the applicant. The applicant must also own or obtain legal consent to access the lands upon which the project is constructed.

Ineligible applicants

The following organizations are not eligible to apply for funding under the ACRP:

• non-profit groups
• private entities including individuals, associations and businesses
• regional commissions

These parties are encouraged to work with an eligible applicant to determine if the proposed project is a mutual priority. If an applicant chooses to champion a private project, the project may be considered as part of their application submission.

Eligible projects

Eligible projects under the ACRP include works that:

• enhance or enable protection of critical infrastructure
• mitigate public safety hazards

Critical infrastructure includes water, wastewater and stormwater works, as well as infrastructure used to access those services (including roads and transportation corridors, commercial and residential areas).

Buy-outs and land purchases may be considered for high risk areas where economic and feasibility studies support this direction.

Project selection criteria

Project priority and approval is based on:

• eligibility criteria
• economic and technical feasibility
• benefit to the community and the environment

Each fiscal year, projects will be selected by the department based on an assessment of the project’s:

• vulnerability
• historical damage
• probability of impact
• environmental impact

Distribution of funding between communities and local priority will be considered as part of the assessment.

Applicants should prioritize their submissions if more than one project is being submitted for consideration. Priority for funding will be given to projects that are likely to proceed in the coming year.

For more information, read the ACRP Application Guidelines.

Project construction before funding is approved

Applicants may construct a project without a commitment by the province to the project, subject to all legislative requirements. However, applicants must have applied under the ACRP prior to the start of construction and the applicant is responsible for all costs incurred.

Eligible applications will be considered for program funding up to 2 years following completion of the proposed project. Two years post-construction the application will be withdrawn. Applicants can continue to submit applications for new, eligible projects.

Ineligible projects and costs

The following projects are not eligible for funding under the ACRP:

• projects that protect non-critical infrastructure (for example, parks, campgrounds, golf courses, etcetera)

Operating and maintenance costs of a project are the responsibility of the applicant and are not eligible for funding.

Any offset compensation owed (including fisheries or wetland) as a result of the construction of a project is not eligible under the ACRP and must be paid by the applicant.

Reporting

Regulatory requirements

Approval under the ACRP is only a commitment to fund the project and does not equal approval to construct. All required regulatory authorizations must be secured prior to commencing construction.

Authorizations under the Water Act and Public Lands Act are the primary regulatory requirements for most projects. Projects may also require authorization from other agencies.

Reporting requirements

The final project report (including invoices for eligible costs) must be submitted no later than 90 days after the project is substantially complete or the grant expiry date, whichever is first. Financial audits will be conducted after the report is received.

Grant expiry dates

Grant expiry dates are based on the projected construction schedule/timeframe submitted as part of a project application. Refer to the Terms and Termination section of your grant agreement.

Project contingencies

Projects may be approved with a maximum allowable contingency of 20%. If detailed engineering has already been completed, the required contingency for the project should be amended to reflect the reduction in risk.

Additional costs

A new application will be required to request additional funding for any project cost increases. The request will be reviewed following the next submission deadline.

Grant recipients

View approved grants, recipients and project details from past rounds of ACRP funding.

• 2018-2020 approved grants
• 2015-2017 approved grants

Progress report

The ACRP progress report provides a summary of project funding allocations to date.

• Progress report

For more information on the ACRP:
Email: [email protected]