The Emergency Management and Public Safety Division of Manitoba Infrastructure has announced Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) will be available for eligible municipalities, homeowners, farms and small business with impacts from flooding this spring.
Officials are still assessing the overall impact of the spring run-off so it is too early to put a precise value on the costs of responding and recovering from this year’s flooding.
A growing number of insurance companies offer overland flood insurance. Home and business owners affected by the spring run-off should contact their insurer to discuss their existing coverage.
When a natural disaster occurs, the province may declare the event eligible for DFA where the costs of the disaster are deemed to constitute an unreasonable financial burden. The Manitoba Emergency Measures Act allows the government of Manitoba to provide financial assistance if the event meets the criteria outlined in the act.
Disaster financial assistance is generally available for the costs of responding to the disaster, repairs to damaged infrastructure, and non-insurable damage to principal residences and buildings essential to the operation of eligible farms and small businesses. Individuals are required to first seek assistance through private insurance claims.
The federal government may provide financial assistance to provincial and territorial governments through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements following large-scale natural disasters.
Applications and further details are available online at www.manitobaemo.ca or by calling the Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization at 204-945-3050 or (toll-free) 1-888-267-8298. Applications are also available at most municipal offices.
