As Albertans continue to recover from June’s historic flooding, the province’s Minister of Municipal Affairs says the government is committed to rebuilding safer homes and stronger communities while ensuring flood victims receive the help they need.

On Sunday, Doug Griffiths outlined the province’s plan for providing financial assistance for rebuilding homes, new flood mitigation standards for homes and business in flood fringe areas, and protecting future buyers of homes in floodways or flood fringe areas.

For flood victims who have decided to repair their homes, Disaster Recovery Program funding will be provided.  The amount of funding a homeowner will be determined by a formula which takes into consideration:

  • The type of home
  • Whether the basement was finished
  • The location of the home
  • Cost of construction to return the home to a functional, basic level of finish

The province has defined a basic level of finish as:

  • Vinyl siding
  • Asphalt shingles
  • Standard efficiency furnace
  • Vinyl flooring
  • Basic quality carpet
  • Basic quality cabinets
  • Laminate counter tops
  • Standard baseboards, closet doors, doors, and towel racks

If the cost of repairing a home exceeds the cost of rebuilding, the Disaster Recovery Plan will fund the rebuild.

“This funding formula is fair to our affected homeowners and provides them the information needed to make smart choices about their future,” says Griffiths. “The Disaster Recovery Program works with your insurance coverage but does not replace insurance; it will cover restoration of your home to a functional standard but not cover premium upgrades.”

Residents and business owners in flood fringe area who suffered damage in the floods of June 2013 and are applying for funding through the Disaster Recovery Program are required to follow flood mitigation standards in order to qualify for future funding.

The following requirements must be met in basements of businesses and homes in flood fringe areas:

Basements must be refinished with materials and finishes which are water resistant and cleanable

All openings for piping, wiring and conduits must be sealed to prevent seepage

Electrical services must be protected.  Wiring and outlets must be raised and electrical panels must be modified so circuits in areas of the building which may experience flooding are isolated from the rest of the building.

Measures are taken to protect plumbing fixtures and equipment from public sewer backflow.

In order to fund the basement flood mitigation process, the DRP will provide applicants in flood fringe areas with an additional 15 per cent of the calculated cost of repairing the home.

Basement flood mitigation measures could cost an estimated $10,000 more than the cost of repairing a basement using traditional materials.

To protect prospective home buyers, Land Titles will declare if the owner of the property in a floodway or flood fringe area had received funding from the DRP.  Once a homeowner submits proof of flood mitigation to the department in charge of land titles, the notice of flood damage will be removed.

When making mitigation repairs, homeowners must obtain work permits from their municipality.  Safety code officers will inspect the flood mitigation measures to ensure the home complies with the province's requirements.

“We have a responsibility to put protective measures in place for future buyers, realtors, lenders and insurers,” says Griffiths. “This is another step toward rebuilding safer communities.”

For additional information on the Disaster Recovery Program and Alberta's Flood Recovery, visit the Government of Alberta Flood Recovery website.