Province has provided $20M in flood relief so far, infrastructure minister says

The province has sent out $20 million in relief to Manitobans and municipalities affected by severe flooding in several communities in June and July, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor told MLAs Thursday.

Naylor said the government received more than 2,400 applications for financial assistance from residents and businesses, plus applications from 64 local authorities.

Provincial staff have so far processed more than 2,000 applications, she said.

Manitoba offered financial assistance after many homes and businesses were inundated, swathes of farm land were submerged and municipal roads and provincial highways were washed out by overland flooding from western Manitoba to the Interlake.

Naylor provided the $20-million figure in question period after Progressive Conservative MLA Rick Wowchuk (Swan River) said some of his constituents are still waiting for assistance.

The Swan Valley region experienced significant flooding twice in less than a month.

Some Minitonas residents still do not have power at home because they cannot afford costs associated with electrical panel replacement, Wowchuk said.

“We experienced a natural disaster and we were told no one would be left behind, so why is there a price tag on essential services?” he said.

Naylor encouraged people with questions about the province’s response to contact her department.

“We understand that communities were impacted in very extreme way this summer. That is why our government acted so quickly,” she said.

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca