B.C. announces financial assistance for victims of flooding in Cache Creek area

British Columbia’s Ministry of Justice announced on Tuesday that financial assistance is available for flooding victims in the province’s Thompson Nicola Regional District, after the mayor of Cache Creek declared a state of emergency and ordered dozens of residents to leave their homes following a violent storm.

Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) is now available to “eligible” British Columbians in Thompson Nicola Regional District areas E, I, M and N, including Cache Creek, Merritt, Logan Lake and Lytton, who may have been affected by the major flooding that occurred on the weekend, the Ministry of Justice said in a statement.

DFA is available to homeowners, residential tenants, small business owners, farmers, charitable organizations and local governments who were unable to obtain insurance to cover these disaster-related losses.

Applications for DFA must be submitted to Emergency Management BC (EMBC) by Aug. 24, 2015, the statement said. British Columbians can access the DFA application form at www.embc.gov.bc.ca/em/dfa_claims/dfa.html.

The statement noted the following stipulations:

• 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 (like jewelry, fur coats and collectibles), and recreational items (like bicycles) are not eligible for assistance;

• Small business owners and farm owners must demonstrate the property is their primary source of income. Owners of damaged rental property must apply and qualify as a small business; and

• Charitable organizations “must provide a benefit of service to the community at large.”

Related: B.C. mayor declares emergency, orders evacuations following violent flooding

Assistance is also available to local governments for emergency response measures authorized by Emergency Management BC (EMBC) by response task number, including incremental costs associated with their Emergency Operations Centre. Financial assistance is provided for each accepted response claim at 100%, the statement said, adding that completed response claim summaries and supporting documentation must be sent to the respective EMBC Regional Office.

Assistance is also available to local governments for recovery measures to replace essential materials and rebuild or replace essential public infrastructures to the condition it was 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.

#CacheCreek Volunteer fire chief Tom Moe says 49 homes, about 90 people affected by flash flood damage #CBC pic.twitter.com/wAbkFLnFE9

— Meera Bains (@Meerakati) May 24, 2015

B.C. premier heads to Cache Creek to see ‘horrendous’ flood damage: B.C. Premier Christy Clark is scheduled to… http://t.co/SwYS9iSH4Q

— Canada Today (@CanadaToday24h) May 26, 2015