HIGH RIVER, JUNE 24, 2005 -- The Honourable Anne McLellan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, today received a request from the Government of Alberta to assist in dealing with the aftermath of this month’s severe flooding in central and southern Alberta. Under the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA), the federal government provides financial assistance to provinces and territories in recovery efforts related to emergencies such as floods.
“I am pleased to be working with the Government of Alberta to help communities recover from these severe floods,” said Minister McLellan. “We will continue to work closely with our provincial counterparts as the situation progresses to determine what assistance, financial and otherwise, we may be able to provide.”
Minister McLellan made the announcement at the High River Town Hall, where she, Prime Minister Martin, Alberta Premier Ralph Klein, and Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Rob Renner met with local residents that had been affected by the floods. Prime Minister Martin and Minister McLellan met today with a number of provincial and municipal government representatives, as well as concerned citizens during their tour.
Weather systems converging on Alberta have brought significant rainfall in southern and central Alberta, resulting in flooding, evacuation of many residents, numerous highway closures, and impact on bridges and other infrastructure.
The DFAA is the primary mechanism through which provinces and territories may seek financial assistance from the Government of Canada for eligible costs associated with disaster response and recovery. The objective of the DFAA is to assist provincial and territorial governments to cover the cost of returning public infrastructure and private properties to their pre-disaster condition.
The DFAA have been applied to a number of floods in Alberta , including those in 2002 and 2004, as well as severe flooding in southern Alberta in 1995.
Since the inception of the DFAA in 1970, the Government of Canada has provided more than $1.6 billion in disaster assistance funding to provinces and territories, of which $112 million has been distributed to the Province of Alberta.
For further information:
Media Relations
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
(613) 991-0657
Alex Swann
Office of the Honourable Anne McLellan
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
(613) 991-2863
