Disaster assistance available for flood-affected residents in Chestermere, Rocky View County, Alberta

Southern Alberta residents affected by an intense rainstorm in July may be eligible for provincial disaster funding to help repair damages, the provincial government announced on Dec. 18.

On July 12, nearly 300 residential property owners in Chestermere and Rocky View County were left with damage to their homes after severe weather, Alberta’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs said in a press release. The storm also damaged municipal infrastructure, such as public parks.

Approximately $9 million will be allocated from the province’s Disaster Recovery Program (DRP) to assist in flood recovery for residents in Chestermere and the hamlet of Langdon in Rocky View County, the ministry said in the release. The DRP is intended to help eligible applicants with repairs to property that are not covered by insurance, and covers the restoration of essential property back to basic, pre-disaster condition.

The program will not apply to property where the damage has been deemed to be solely caused by sewer backup, the ministry stressed. But if the damage is the result of a combination of sewer backup and overland flooding, DRP assistance may be available. Disaster relief is also intended to assist both municipalities with the cost of emergency operations and repairing damaged infrastructure.

Related: Southern Alberta community hit by flooding for second time in days

“By providing disaster relief to residents whose homes were damaged by the July flood, it’s my hope we can relieve some of the anxiety and financial stress caused by the storm,” said Danielle Larivee, Minister of Municipal Affairs, in the release.

Patricia Matthews, Mayor of Chestermere, added that the community has been “pulling together to support those affected by the terrible flood in July. This is very welcome news to help families in Chestermere rebuild their lives.”

Municipal Affairs staff will continue to work with the municipalities to co-ordinate available support, the ministry said. Residents can attend temporary registration centres where staff will provide assistance with DRP applications. The centre in Rocky View County will be open on Jan. 14 and the centre in Chestermere will be open Jan. 15 and 16.

Applicants should bring government-issued ID; a letter from their insurance company indicating any insurance coverage; a list of damaged and/or replaced items; a record of time spent cleaning up; pictures of damaged and discarded property, including both interior and exterior views, and receipts for clean-up, repairs and replacement of damaged items.

The application deadline is March 16, 2016.