For the second time this year, Air Canada and the Air Canada Foundation have provided humanitarian assistance to communities in British Columbia by donating flights to disaster response nonprofit Airlink.
Airlink facilitates free and subsidized transport to a network of over 130 disaster response nonprofit organizations, such as Team Rubicon Canada, that then respond to disasters all over the world. This new donation of flights by Air Canada and the Air Canada Foundation will enable Airlink to support the movement of 30 Team Rubicon Canada volunteers to Fraser Valley, B.C. where they will provide recovery relief to communities impacted by recent flooding and landslides.
“Following heat domes and heartbreaking wildfire destruction just months earlier, British Columbia faced another extreme climate event this year, with devastating flooding and landslides that affected thousands of people as well as the province’s highway transportation network. The importance of continuing to help communities in need remains one of the Air Canada Foundation’s priorities. We are proud to transport Airlink and Team Rubicon Canada’s experts, whose important work on the ground will help our communities recover and rebuild” said Valerie Durand, Spokesperson for the Air Canada Foundation.
Prompting a state of emergency in November, the unprecedented flooding in British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest of the U.S., resulted in nearly $450 million in damage and 5 reported deaths. The flooding came on the heels of the summer 2021 wildfires, which left an altered terrain more susceptible to increased flooding.
“Sadly, many people aren’t aware of the magnitude of the flooding in British Columbia. This is a prime example of how Airlink is able to support critical missions of various sizes in response to disasters that might not attract the attention or support they deserve because they don’t feature in the news cycle. We are thankful to have such strong partners like Air Canada, the Air Canada Foundation, and Team Rubicon Canada, said Steven J. Smith, President, and CEO of Airlink.
The Team Rubicon Canada cohort, which is led by veterans of the military, local authorities and residents, first responders, and skilled emergency management volunteers, will be cleaning out flooded homes and removing debris in affected communities in the electoral areas.
