The Alberta government is launching a new Drought and Flood protection program, which will help communities to become more resilient to severe weather.

On May 6, the government announced this program and that it will receive $125 million over five years.

They are creating this program to help communities develop the expensive infrastructure required to protect residents from extreme weather events.

Municipalities and Indigenous communities from all over the province can apply for funding from the program to help them improve their drought and flood resilience.

"We are helping communities build the infrastructure they need to help protect people’s homes and keep businesses going during droughts or floods. These emergencies can devastate public infrastructure and private property, damage the environment, disrupt our economy and put lives at risk. That’s why I encourage any and all communities to apply," explained Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Rebecca Schulz in a media release from May 6.

This program builds on the work of the Alberta Community Resilience Program, and this year there will be $ 25 million available for projects that will benefit communities that are facing either drought or flood.

Under this program, they will help the communities design and construct projects that help protect critical infrastructure from flood and drought and help to ensure the public's safety.

The projects that will be funded under this program will include improved water storage, upgrading open-ditch irrigation canals to reduce water loss through evaporation, relocating water intakes to help communities through dry periods, and more.

The projects could also be flood-related, such as berms and flood walls.

All projects that meet the eligibility criteria will be considered, but applications for shovel-ready projects are strongly encouraged.

All municipalities, Improvement Districts, Special Areas, Metis Settlements, and First Nations can apply for the funding, but applications must be sent in by June 6.

While there is no minimum funding requirement for communities to apply, there is a $10 million funding cap so that multiple projects can be funded each year.

The funding will cover up to 70 per cent of the project costs, with the recipient of the funding covering the remaining 30 per cent.

To learn more about the Drought and Flooding Protection program, head over to the government's website.