Federal government calls for National Disaster Mitigation Program proposals

Canada’s Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Steven Blaney, has launched the first call for proposals for the National Disaster Mitigation Program (NDMP).

In the federal government’s Economic Action Plan 2014, it committed to providing $200 million in funding over five years, starting in 2015-16, to develop the NDMP, Public Safety Canada noted in a statement on Friday. As announced in January, the NDMP will focus mainly on flood mitigation, to better protect Canadians, their homes and communities.

More than 85% of all Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements-funded recovery efforts have been flood-related, Public Safety Canada reported.

The investments in flood-risk identification and prevention measures through the NDMP reflect the federal government’s shift towards a proactive disaster relief model that will better protect Canadians and their communities from the costs and effects of reoccurring flooding, the statement said.

Through NDMP investments, the government will:

• Help reduce flood-related risks and losses by supporting provinces and territories in identifying and mitigating high-risk flood areas;

• Contribute to establishing conditions for the introduction of a residential flood insurance market in Canada;

• Collect disaster risk information that will inform future investments; and

• Facilitate greater knowledge-sharing across emergency management stakeholders.

“We are pleased to launch the National Disaster Mitigation Program today as we shift towards a proactive disaster relief model that better allows us to identify, plan for, and prevent flood risks and the costs that Canadians incur as a result of flooding,” Blaney said in the statement. “This important investment will help reduce flood-related costs for all levels of government and help Canadians in high-risk communities avoid the heartache associated with reoccurring flooding in their communities.”

Don Forgeron, president and CEO of the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), added that “we have all seen the toll that severe weather events take on Canadians. IBC is pleased to continue working with the federal government on flood prevention and mitigation measures. We know that the private sector, all levels of government and community groups – working together – can build more resilient and sustainable communities.”