Pitt Meadows residents now have a clearer view of their flood risks after the B.C. government released updated floodplain maps on June 17, 2026. The maps cover 58 communities along five waterways, including the Coquihalla and Fraser rivers from Yale to Mission, which puts Pitt Meadows squarely in the picture.
With most of the city sitting in flood-prone areas, these maps show where and how flooding could happen. According to the City of Pitt Meadows, up to 95 percent of the community lies within the Fraser and Pitt river floodplains.
The new maps are part of the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program, a joint effort between the Province, Natural Resources Canada, and the Fraser Basin Council. The Province put in more than $13 million, while the federal government added over $12 million to create more accurate flood maps in two phases.
For Pitt Meadows, the stakes are high. A 2018 risk assessment pegged potential economic losses from a major flood at $489 million to $725 million. The city needs an estimated $121 million in dike upgrades to meet current standards for its 60 kilometres of protective dikes.
The maps tie into the broader B.C. Flood Strategy, released in 2024 to guide flood preparedness across the province. Since 2017, the Province has pumped more than $410 million into over 600 flood risk reduction projects, working with First Nations and local governments.
