Some flooded homeowners may qualify for disaster relief

THUNDER BAY -- The Ministry of Municipal Affairs is examining a cross section of flooded local houses to determine if homeowners qualify for provincial disaster relief. 

The city’s infrastructure and operations division has provided the ministry a list of 15 local properties from the 350 calls it received after June 25 flooding. Flooded basements accounted for 190 of those calls.

“We’ve provided a list of property owners who gave the city permission to forward their names and contact information,” said the city department’s general manager Kerri Marshall.

“The ministry is contacting those property owners directly and making direct arrangements with those individuals.”

Minister of Municipal Affairs Bill Mauro said residents could qualify for the new Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians program, which provides financial assistance to individuals, small businesses, farmers and not-for-profit organizations.

“I commend the municipalities for their quick response to the flood,” Mauro wrote in response to media requests.

“I spoke with all affected mayors the morning of Sunday, June 26, and continue to stay in contact. I have also been in contact with Kenora Mayor Dave Canfield in order to stay up-to-date on the situation in his community caused by flooding.”

Kenora declared a state of emergency on Tuesday after Canfield claimed heavy rains caused a series of beaver dams to collapse, washing out roads and flooding areas of the city.