Press Release - Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council
Regional Council Chief Executive Fiona McTavish says this funding will help deliver essential upgrades, while remaining future focused in the face of climate change.
Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council has successfully secured a second round of Central Government funding to support critical flood protection projects across the region.
This co-investment was allocated through the Before the Deluge programme, a collaborative initiative by regional and unitary councils to gain Central Government support for regional infrastructure projects that enable long-term resilience, productivity and economic prosperity.
Regional Council Chief Executive Fiona McTavish says this funding will help deliver essential upgrades, while remaining future focused in the face of climate change.
"Flood protection infrastructure is our first line of defence against increasingly frequent and severe weather events," says Ms McTavish.
"Investing upfront in resilience is far more cost effective than responding to the impacts after the fact. These projects are about protecting lives, livelihoods, and critical infrastructure, and ensuring our communities are equipped to adapt to a changing climate."
The co-investment is allocated from the Regional Infrastructure Fund and covers up to 60% of the budgeted project costs. The remaining costs will be funded primarily through rivers and drainage scheme targeted rates.
This latest round of projects includes:
This latest round of co-investment follows Central Government's commitment to invest in the resilience and economic prosperity of the regions through its $1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund. In 2024, $101.1M was allocated to 42 flood resilience projects nationwide, of which the Regional Council was the successful recipient of $20M for three major projects.
Ms McTavish says these projects are a priority for the organisation and are a key part of the Regional Council's long-term resilience strategy.
"We need to be future focused in every decision we make today," says Ms McTavish.
"That means designing infrastructure that can withstand tomorrow's climate conditions, not just today's. It also means embedding nature-based solutions, smarter spatial planning and long-term thinking into everything we do.
"Central to our success is working in partnership with Central Government to deliver solutions that benefit the whole country. This is co-investment is a powerful example of what we can achieve when we work together."
For more information about the Regional Council's flood protection work, visit www.boprc.govt.nz/flood-defences