The City of Fort St. John is looking to secure provincial funding to help address erosion and unstable ground near a popular trail in the community forest.
At its regular meeting Monday, council approved an application to the Union of B.C. Municipalities’ (UBCM) Foundations of Disaster Risk Reduction grant program.
The funding would go toward engineering planning and design work to determine how best to stabilize land beside the multipurpose trail in the community forest, northwest of 93 Street.
City staff reported that erosion and land sloughing were observed near the outlets of stormwater pipes during the summer of 2026.
The grant program could provide up to $150,000, covering the full cost of developing a structural plan and design for the site.
“It is in the city’s interest to take advantage of these grant opportunities,” staff said in the report.
The area has been on the city’s radar for several years. A slope stability assessment completed in 2019 identified the Fish Creek valley as an area of concern.
The community forest falls entirely within the city’s Development Constraints and Environmental Protection Development Permit Area.
A geotechnical engineering firm has already reviewed the site and prepared a high-level program. However, staff noted that the work did not progress beyond that stage because the project is new and has not received capital funding.
If the city decides to move ahead with construction in the future, those costs would need to be considered through its capital project program.
For now, the proposed grant would only cover the planning and design phase.
The city also said nearby residents will be notified if soil investigations or drilling are needed as part of the work
