Disaster Aid Available For March Flooding

Disaster Financial Assistance is now available for eligible British Columbians in the central Interior who may have been impacted by overland flooding or landslides from heavy rains that began on March 22.
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Eligible are homeowners, residential tenants, small business owners, farmers, charitable organizations and local government bodies who were unable to obtain insurance to cover disaster-related losses.

Applicants should be aware of the following:
* Financial assistance is provided for each accepted claim at 80% of the amount of total eligible damage that exceeds $1,000, to a maximum claim of $300,000.
* Claims may be made in more than one category (e.g., homeowner and farm owner).
* A homeowner or residential tenant must show that the home is their principal residence.
* Seasonal or recreational properties, hot tubs, patios, pools, garden tools, landscaping, luxury items (such as jewelry, fur coats and collectibles) and recreational items (such as bicycles) are not eligible for assistance.
* Small business owners and farm owners must demonstrate that their farms and businesses are their primary source of income.
* Charitable organizations must provide a benefit of service to the community at large.

Assistance is also available to local governments for:
* Emergency response measures authorized by EMBC according to response task number. These include incremental costs associated with their emergency operations centre. Financial assistance is provided for each accepted response claim at 100%. Completed response claim summaries and supporting documentation must be sent to the respective EMBC regional office.
* Recovery measures to replace essential materials and rebuild or replace essential public infrastructures to the condition they were in before the disaster. Assistance is provided for each accepted recovery claim at 80% of the amount of total eligible damage that exceeds $1,000.

Applications must be submitted to Emergency Management BC by July 16, 2018.