Last week, St. Catharines MPP Jennie Stevens wrote a letter to Rob Flack, Ontario’s municipal affairs minister, to request disaster recovery assistance for local residents following severe flooding in St. Catharines.
Stevens’ letter specifically focuses on the very heavy rainfall that occurred on Monday, July 27, which she says led to “a devastating flash flood that affected thousands of homes and businesses across the community.”
Stevens noted that flooding was in many cases waist-deep in residential basements.
“Residents have contacted our office to report washing machines floating, personal belongings destroyed, and furniture ruined,” wrote Stevens. “Public pools, libraries, walkways, beaches, and roads were also closed due to flooding, while emergency crews worked tirelessly to support residents and respond to dangerous conditions.”
Stevens is specifically asking that any St. Catharines resident or business owner who experienced flooding during the July 27 storm be eligible for assistance through the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians program.
The Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians program is a rebate program run by the provincial government that helps people recover costs after their properties are impacted by natural disasters.
Financial assistance is limited to $250,000 per application. Reimbursements under the program can be up to 90 per cent of total eligible costs. However, payments under the program do not replace insurance coverage and any insurance payments must first be deducted from any eligible costs.
“The damage experienced across our community has been significant, and many residents now face substantial cleanup, repair, and replacement costs – many of whom are lower income families and seniors on fixed incomes,” added Stevens.
According to Environment Canada, St. Catharines did in fact experience flash flooding, with a storm that largely hit the north end of the city dumping about five inches of rain on residential and commercial properties.
Not too long ago, the province went ahead with recovery assistance in Ottawa and a similar declaration was made in seven different municipalities in April following significant flooding. Stevens’ request is far from unprecedented.
Stevens told the St. Catharines Standard that she plans to follow up with Flack’s office this week if she hasn’t heard back from the minister.
“I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter further and work together to ensure affected residents and businesses receive the support they need to begin recovering,” concluded Stevens.
Jay Goldberg is the Canadian Affairs Manager at the Consumer Choice Center. He previously served as the Ontario Director at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and a policy fellow at the Munk School of Public Policy and Global Affairs. Jay holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Toronto.
