Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Hope, Merritt and Princeton have joined forces to improve key infrastructure in South BC amid mounting challenges for the agricultural region.

The municipalities announced last Wednesday that they had launched the West Coast Corridor Resiliency Partnership (WCCRP) to advocate for long-term investments in the region’s public safety and economic stability, particularly in the face of climate and trade threats. 

The partners are calling for improvements in interprovincial and international trade, the resiliency of essential transportation corridors and flood mitigation strategies to protect local industries.

“This partnership recognizes that the resiliency challenges facing our communities do not stop at municipal boundaries,” said the WCCRP in a release. “Protecting these corridors means protecting communities, supply chains, agriculture, transportation networks and economic stability for British Columbia and Canada as a whole.” 

Flood inaction has been a source of frustration for these municipalities, especially following atmospheric river events in 2021 and last December, which caused millions of dollars in damage. 

A month after the December 2025 floods battered the region, the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) called on the federal and provincial governments to increase support for Fraser Valley municipalities. The UBCM says local governments are struggling with the strain on their emergency management and public works budgets as floods become increasingly common. 

The launch of WCCRP came ahead of this week’s Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Conference, where the five mayors can convene with provincial and federal leaders on these issues. After the conference ends, the mayors will share their next steps.