Flood funding and mitigation measures announced
Posted Jul 28, 2013 1:54 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Redford government has announced how funding will come for homes damaged by flooding, and mitigation measures to ensure the safety of homes in the future.
The first part of the announcement covered financial assistance for flood-damaged homes and businesses.
The government says they will use a formula of construction cost-per-square foot to restore the home to a functional, basic level of finish, based on estimates from industry experts.
Examples of basic levels of finish include:
-Vinyl siding
-Asphalt shingles
-Standard efficiency furnace
-Vinyl flooring
-Basic quality carpet
-Basic quality cabinets and laminate counter tops
-Standard finishing throughout including baseboards, closet doors, doors, and towel -Racks
If it’s determined the cost of repairs are more than the cost of rebuilding the home, the government will pay for a complete rebuild.
The second part of the announcement covers new minimum flood mitigation standards.
Any home or business in the flood fringe area applying for Disaster Recovery Program assistance, must follow measures to help protect their building from future flooding.
That includes:
-Refinish with materials and finishes that resist water damage and are cleanable.
-Seal all the openings in the basement wall where piping, wiring and conduits come through, to prevent seepage.
-Protect electrical services in the basement to quickly restore electrical function by raising wiring and outlets, and by moving and modifying the main electrical panel so that basement circuits that may be affected by flood water are isolated from the remainder of the home or business.
-Protect plumbing fixtures/equipment from backflow from the public sewers.
The province will provide an additional 15 per-cent to the calculated repair costs to help with mitigation measures for those who qualify. It’s estimated meeting those measures in a basement will cost an additional $10,000.
The third part of the announcement involves protecting future buyers.
Any home in a floodway, or flood fringe, that received DRP funding, will have a note placed on its land title stating it is in a flood-risk area, so future buyers are aware of the danger.
The home can have the note removed only once it’s proven all mitigation standards have been met, which will then qualify it for future government funding following flooding.
