Ontario expected to activate disaster funding this week after Canada Day floods

Nearly 5,800 flooded basements have been reported as the city awaits provincial help to get residents back on their feet.

The provincial government is expected to open its disaster recovery assistance program for Ottawa residents affected by the Canada Day flooding later this week, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said Monday, nearly two weeks after the storm swamped thousands of homes. Speaking at City Hall, Sutcliffe said Ontario Municipal Affairs Minister Rob Flack told him Monday morning the province is moving to make Ottawa eligible for the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO) program. “He’s indicated to me that they are moving as quickly as possible to make this area eligible for funding and that it should happen this week,” Sutcliffe said.

The program helps homeowners, small businesses, farms and non-profits recover costs for cleanup, repairs and other essential expenses after disasters. The update comes after criticism that the province has been slow to approve financial assistance following the July 1 storm, which dumped as much as 167 millimetres of rain in parts of the city in a span of about five hours. Sutcliffe said the province’s disaster relief program is designed to be accessed after insurance claims are processed.

“DRAO is not an emergency, immediate response program where funds are given out in the hours after an emergency occurs,” he said. “It’s a program that is meant to supply funds to residents, to supplement what they receive from their insurance companies.” Sutcliffe said he has also been hearing from residents who are being told they may not qualify for insurance coverage.

“I’m very disappointed to hear that,” he said. “These residents must be able to count on the insurance companies to whom they’ve been paying premiums for many years.” He said the city is working to connect residents with insurance representatives and legal resources to help them navigate claims.

The mayor also said the number of residents who have reported flooded basements to the city has climbed to nearly 5,800. City officials said they have collected about 2,500 tonnes of curbside waste, roughly the amount of household garbage Ottawa collects in a typical week. Sutcliffe said additional relief measures are expected to be proposed at Wednesday’s council meeting, including waiving permit fees for repairs to flooded basements.