Provincial disaster relief funds for flood-damaged Windsor, Ont. region
Sewer backup only covered under provincial exemptions for low-income residents
Ontario's municipal affairs minister approved disaster relief funds for residents affected by last week's flooding in Windsor, Tecumseh and Lakeshore.
Bill Mauro, the municipal affairs minister, toured some hardest-hit areas this morning and announced residents would be able to apply for the funding from the province at a media conference.
He said both the municipalities and residents can apply for provincial funds, which will be given out on a "case-by-case basis."
Mauro said there are options for insured and uninsured homeowners, depending on each situation and emergency expenses they may have.
"It covers emergency costs and essential property," Mauro said. "People are eligible to apply. This program is not a replacement for insurance."
He said the fund would likely cover expenses, such as pumping water out of basements or purchasing a new furnace. More information on the program and how to apply can be found here.
- Worst of heavy rain over for flood-hit Windsor and Tecumseh
- Residents shocked by damage after Windsor flood
- Windsor's flood damage to be assessed by provincial inspectors
But flooding related to sewer backup is not covered under the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians program, according to a news release from the ministry. The only exception is low-income residents. A family of four would need to have had less than $41,571 in total income in 2015 to qualify.
City officials in Windsor say city services staff fielded nearly 2,000 calls for flooded basements while hundreds more called in Tecumseh.
With many of those homes including finished basements, damaged carpeting, drywall and other items are piling up at curbs across the region. It prompted three special garbage pickups for residents affected by the flooding.