The R.M. of Morris is getting $25,000 to help with further flood proofing efforts. 

The money, provided through the Province's Mitigation and Preparedness Program (MPP), will contribute to the cost of fully raising a portion of Road 2E between the Riverside and Rosenort dikes to 2009 flood levels.

Reeve Scott Siemens explains, work to upgrade the less-than-one-mile stretch already started this past spring in hopes of keeping the road open during the impending high water event. 

"In the end, we were unable to keep up...as a result of not being able to accomplish it in time, we had to evacuate Riverside this year," he said. 

Once upgrades to the stretch of road are complete, Siemens noted the intent is to be able to keep the community open during a 2009 level event or lower. 

"We want to get that work done as soon as possible so, next spring when it's warm enough, we intend to finish the project," he added. 

The MPP is an optional program to assist municipalities to mitigate against future disasters, and is only established for disasters that are cost-shareable with Canada and when a Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) program is approved by the Manitoba government. When the Province establishes a DFA program that is eligible for cost-sharing with Canada under the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements, municipalities would have the option to either pay the Provincial/Municipal DFA deductible, or opt in to the Mitigation and Preparedness Program (MPP)

Under the MPP, municipalities will receive 100% of eligible DFA costs back from Manitoba, and are required to invest the amount that would have been the deductible into an approved disaster mitigation and preparedness project.