City invites flood impacted residents to participate in registry to support potential Provincial disaster assistance

The City of St. Catharines is asking residents affected by flooding due to the July and August 2026 rainstorms for additional information as it continues ongoing data collection to support potential disaster assistance from the Province of Ontario.

Today, the City is launching the St. Catharines Flood Impact Form to collect specific details from residents who experienced flooding at their properties to help the province better understand the nature and severity of flooding in impacted homes. Residents can find the Flood Impact Form online at stcatharines.ca or can submit their information by calling Citizens First at 905.688.5600.

“We know many St. Catharines residents are still dealing with the impacts of the significant flooding our community experienced this summer,” said Mayor Mat Siscoe. “If flooding affected your property, I strongly encourage you to complete the Flood Impact Form, even if you’ve already contacted the City. We know this has been a difficult process for many people, but every response is important in helping us understand the full impact across our community and strengthening our efforts to advocate for provincial support for those affected.”

The City has been working closely with the province since the rainstorms and flooding first occurred in July to advocate for assistance for affected residents, including sharing information about flooding impacts and response, and touring provincial officials to flood-affected areas of the city.

The City is seeking more detailed, property-specific information to further support its discussions with the province about potential relief funding for residents through the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO) program and other recovery programs.  Information demonstrating flooding from nearby watercourses is particularly helpful in supporting potential DRAO activation for St. Catharines.

The information collected will build on existing information about the nature and, severity of flooding impacts in affected homes and support the City's ongoing advocacy efforts with the province. The City wants to hear specifically from residents who experienced water entering their homes from outside through doors, windows, window wells or foundation openings. Information from residents whose properties are in or near floodplains, creeks, streams, ponds, drainage channels or other natural watercourses and those who observed nearby waterways overflowing during the flooding is also of particular interest.

 “We are asking residents to help us continue that effort by sharing information about how their property was affected, especially if water entered your home from a nearby watercourse,” said Erin O’Hoski, Deputy CAO. “Beyond supporting discussions with the Province, the information collected through the Flood Impact Form will also contribute to future planning, preparedness, and resilience efforts.”

The Flood Impact Form is the latest part of the City’s ongoing advocacy efforts for the province to activate DRAO for St. Catharines residents. DRAO provides financial assistance to individuals, small businesses and farms, and not-for-profit organizations that have experienced damage to or loss of essential property due to a natural disaster where insurance is not available.

DRAO is designed to address gaps in the insurance market. Insurance remains the most important way for private property owners to protect themselves from the financial impacts of disasters.

Flood impacted residents are invited to complete the form even if they have already reported flooding to the City or Citizens First. Completing the City’s Flood Impact Form does not mean a resident has applied for DRAO or guarantee that the program will be activated or that an individual will qualify for assistance. Should the province activate DRAO for St. Catharines residents further information will regarding how residents can apply to the program directly.