Provincial disaster officials headed to flooded rural communities to answer questions about aid

Manitoba Emergency Management Organization employees are visiting flood-hit municipalities this week and next to answer residents’ questions about applying for disaster financial assistance.

Information sessions have so far been scheduled for five municipalities — Rockwood, Rosser, Stonewall, Grahamdale and West Interlake — where properties were overwhelmed by flash flooding last week.

“We know there are lots of residents who are finding out they’re not covered (by insurance) in the way they thought they would be,” Stonewall Mayor Sandra Smith said. “I think a lot of residents are obviously very stressed about it.

“Our information is that anyone who was impacted (by last week’s rains) should go to the session and speak with (the province’s) recovery and mitigation team, and fill out an application.”

Stonewall was one of the hardest-hit communities after more than 255 millimetres of rain, which started falling June 9, led to widespread flooding. The town is among several municipalities that declared states of local emergency.

While the province’s disaster financial assistance (DFA) terms state that insurable damages are not eligible, Premier Wab Kinew vowed last Thursday, while visiting Stonewall, “no one in rural Manitoba is going to be left behind.”

“I think a lot of residents are obviously very stressed about it.”

EMO’s online notice for the information sessions acknowledged overland flood insurance is not always available or included in standard coverage.

“As a result, this program will assess gaps, with additional targeted support available for vulnerable populations of those that do not have the financial means to recover on their own,” the notice said.

Kinew said Thursday the province will step in to help in cases where insurance may not meet Manitobans’ needs. He encouraged people to contact their insurance provider first, followed by their municipality.

Reeve Bill Gade said there was confusion as residents contacted the Municipality of Swan Valley West after Kinew’s remarks, because the province’s website and application form stated insurable damages were not eligible for DFA.

“They were like, ‘We heard the premier say this is all covered,’ and we said, ‘OK, we have these forms for you and this list of rules the province published, and it does not make any suggestion that most of this is covered,’” Gade said.

“Under those existing DFA rules, probably 90 per cent of people’s losses would receive nothing here, but the premier said they will.”

Gade said he was seeking clarity about the DFA program and if certain rules are being waived. A regulation states that an expense is not eligible for DFA if adequate insurance to cover the expense was available for purchase in the impacted region or community.

The province encouraged flood-affected Manitobans to fill out an application form on the government’s website.

“The DFA program offers extra support for Manitobans who might struggle to recover on their own, including people who are under‑insured or facing financial hardship,” a provincial spokesperson said in a statement.

“There are people going to the banks this morning, begging for lines of credit to have enough money to try to fix their house.”

“The DFA program will review all applications to ensure Manitobans are getting the supports they need.”

Gade said some residents were informed their insurance policies will not cover last week’s flood damage. The Swan Valley area had widespread flooding after a one-in-200-year rainfall occurred June 7-8. Almost 150 mm fell in Minitonas.

“I know there are people going to the banks this morning, begging for lines of credit to have enough money to try to fix their house to the point where there is not going to be mould,” he said Monday.

Primary residences, farms, businesses and non-profit organizations affected by last week’s heavy rains may apply to the DFA program.

Secondary properties, such as cottages, are not eligible. The program does not cover loss of income, revenue or wages.

The DFA program is open to municipalities, as well, to help cover things such as infrastructure repairs. Gade said Swan Valley West continued to rebuild washed-out roads Monday, prioritizing those where residents were cut off.

The RM of Woodlands’ council will declare a state of agricultural emergency Tuesday to help farmers who lost crops or livestock feed when fields or pastures flooded, Reeve Douglas Oliver said.

Municipal staff continued to pump water in some flooded locations. Some homes were still surrounded by water.

“We have all kinds of random people with water in their basements in all different kinds of areas where their systems were overwhelmed,” Oliver said.

The Opposition Tories on Monday called on the NDP government to use the Portage Diversion, which diverts water from the Assiniboine River into Lake Manitoba. Doing so would reduce the flood risk for communities downstream, the Tories said.

Thunderstorms brought more downpours and hail to Winnipeg and other parts of southern Manitoba Monday.

Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Brian Proctor said Tuesday will be mainly sunny in most areas. Winnipeg’s forecast high of 23 C will be close to normal for mid-June.

“We’re sort of having a calmer week this week,” Proctor said. “It’s probably the best way to look at it when we compare it to what we experienced last week.”

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca