WINNIPEG, July 3, 2012 – The Honourable Vic Toews, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety, today announced an additional $50 million in federal funding under the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) program for response and recovery costs incurred by the Province of Manitoba related to the 2011 spring flood. This second payment brings the federal contribution for the 2011 spring flood to $100 million thus far. The initial $50 million payment was made in November 2011.
“This second payment of $50 million to the Province of Manitoba underscores our Government’s commitment to helping Canadians and their communities recover from natural disasters like the unprecedented flooding in the spring and summer of 2011,” said Minister Toews. “Canadians can also be assured that the Harper government is working with provinces and territories to build safer and more resilient communities by developing a national disaster mitigation program which will lessen the impact of disasters on vulnerable communities.”
“Manitobans are undertaking the largest flood recovery in decades and we are supporting families and the 141 affected municipal governments with unprecedented compensation and resources for rebuilding,” said Manitoba’s Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton. “With the cost of the flood estimated at more than $1 billion, we look forward to continued collaboration with the federal government to help people get their lives back to normal.”
Severe flooding throughout the Province of Manitoba in 2011, caused by the spring break up, resulted in both public and private property damage and the evacuation of several thousand residents.
Since its inception in 1970, the DFAA program has provided more than $2.1 billion in disaster financial assistance to the provinces and territories. For more information on the federal DFAA program and its guidelines, please visit our website: www.publicsafety.gc.ca.
For information on how to prepare for emergencies including severe flooding, Canadians can follow @Get_Prepared on Twitter or visit: www.getprepared.gc.ca .
