Update on advocacy for provincial disaster assistance following summer flooding

Since this summer's severe flooding, the City of St. Catharines has been collecting and sharing information with provincial staff to advocate for financial assistance for affected residents through the Province’s Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO) program.

As part of this work, we invited residents to share information about how their properties were affected to help us provide the Province with a clearer picture of the flooding experienced across our community.

Some of the information gathered through our intake form included reports of overland flooding, sewer backups, property damage and insurance coverage challenges. Here are some of the results from our submission form, with hundreds of households reporting overland flooding:

• 1,250 unique properties were identified through our survey.
• 34 properties reported overland flooding, damage and either denied insurance claims or no insurance coverage.
• Another 209 properties reported overland flooding and damage, and their insurance claim status remains uncertain.

We've shared these findings with provincial staff to support their consideration of potential assistance.

DRAO is a provincial program. The Province is responsible for determining whether the program is activated and who may be eligible for financial assistance. The City does not make those decisions. While decisions about DRAO rest with the Province, we recognize the importance of keeping residents informed about the City's efforts. We will continue to share information about our work and any updates provided by the Province.

We know the flooding has had a significant impact on many residents, and we appreciate everyone who took the time to share their experiences through this recent effort. We remain committed to advocating for our community and working with the Province to support residents affected by the flooding.