Burlington, Ontario flood damage estimated at $90 million

The Insurance Bureau of Canada announced Tuesday that a rain storm last month in Burlington, Ontario caused more than $90 million in insured damage, according to preliminary estimate from Verisk Analytics Inc.’s Property Claims Services (PCS) unit.

“During the storm, Burlington received so much rainfall that local highways had to be closed because of flooding in some places, as creeks and rivers throughout the city were inundated and crested at the same time,” IBC stated in a release Sept. 2.

The City of Burlington — which borders Hamilton to the northeast — said Aug. 29 3,097 homes were reported to have been flooded as the result of the storm. Nearly 200 millimetres of rain fell in three hours, according to the city. At the time, Canadian Press reported that sections of Highway 407 and the Queen Elizabeth Way were shut down.

The City of Burlington said last week that on August 22, it had filed, with the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, an application to receive Ontario Disaster Recovery Assistance Program funding.

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The Regional Municipality of Halton — the upper level of municipal government for Burlington and the towns of Milton, Oakville and Halton Hills — is providing a Basement Flood Prevention Subsidy to help homeowners with a history of backups from the sanitary sewer system, according to information posted to the region’s website. That program provides for a one-time subsidy of up to $2,750. Residents can get up to 50% of the cost — to a maximum of $675 – for the purchase and installation of a backwater valve inside the home, provided it meets the criteria stipulated in the Ontario Building Code. The subsidy program also covers up to 50% – to a maximum of $1,800 — for the cost of a sump pump system and disconnecting weeping tiles and foundations drains from the sanitary sewer system. Downspout disconnections — for 50% of costs to a maximum of $250 — are also eligible for subsidies from Halton Region.

In order to qualify for a subsidy from Halton Region, homeowners must take several steps, including selecting a qualified drainage contractor and applying to the city for a permit to conduct the work. Once the work is done the homeowner is responsible for arranging for a building inspection from the local municipality.