Ontario's disaster recovery assistance program: What Ottawans need to know

After the flood: What you need to know about Ontario's disaster recovery assistance program

Could be a long wait for reimbursement, local MPP says

The Ontario government program that's expected to go live soon for homeowners in Ottawa whose property was damaged by flooding from the powerful Canada Day storm is a helpful measure, but those deemed eligible for relief should gird themselves for a long reimbursement wait, a local MPP says.

"[It] might take months or even a year before there's any actual money flowing to homeowners," Liberal Orléans MPP Stephen Blais said Tuesday.

"DRAO can be an effective and has been an effective program for those things that aren't covered by insurance ... but it is a long game."

DRAO refers to the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians program. It can reimburse people for cleanup, repairing or replacing essential property and/or basic emergency expenses such as travel. It was previously triggered by local Ottawa River flooding.

Over the last 10 years, Ontario has spent an annual average of $5.4 million on the program, peaking during the 2019-2020 fiscal year at $18.2 million, according to the Public Accounts of Ontario.

CBC asked the province for a breakdown of when the program was triggered in recent years and how much it paid out after each disaster. It didn't provide that, but said it's working with the City of Ottawa to assess flood damage and identify areas affected by overflowing creeks where there may be uninsured damage that is eligible under the DRAO program.

Homeowners who apply are eligible for up to $250,000, as are small businesses, farms and non-profits, according to what the province states online.

The DRAO program is back in the news because its reactivation by the province has been hotly anticipated ever since the July 1 rainstorm that saw Ottawa pelted by massive amounts of rain that poured into nearly 6,000 basements.

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On Monday, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said he was told by Ontario's Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack that DRAO should be launched this week for local residents. That announcement was soon followed by a provincial statement indicating Ontario "will be" activating the program, though no specific timeline was provided.

"We know many families are facing challenging circumstances, and I want them to know that our government is working alongside municipal partners to help ensure affected communities receive the support they need," Flack said in a statement posted on social media Monday evening.

No activations were listed on the program page as of mid-afternoon Tuesday.

Damage caused by sewer backup generally not eligible

Orléans was not hit as hard as other parts of the city by the Canada Day storm, but Blais says he's glad that, nearly two weeks after the disaster, the province is "finally taking action" to help those who were affected.

That did not happen after the destructive derecho that tore across eastern Ontario in 2022, leaving many farmers and homeowners "in the lurch" and paying out of pocket for tens of thousands of dollars' worth of damage, Blais said.

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According to the program guidelines, damage caused by sewer backup is not generally eligible, though the province does make an exception for low-incomes households.

For a two-person household, the cap is a combined income of $38,682 a year.

"I could anticipate this being a major issue for homeowners in Ottawa," Blais said of the general exclusion of sewer backups.

Secondary residences such as cottages are not eligible for any DRAO coverage, as the program is intended for primary residences.

Provincial funding is coming for Ottawa flood victims. Will you benefit?

DRAO is meant to return a damaged property to a "basic standard," not for making improvements, according to the guidelines. For example, the province won't pay for you to restore landscaping, fencing or retaining walls.

Financial assistance under the program is subject to caps and deductibles, and not everything is covered. Appliances such as furnaces, water heaters, refrigerators, freezers and laundry machines are eligible.

But lost or damaged personal items such as jewelry, antiques, cells phones and sports equipment are not. (For a deeper breakdown, go to the program guidelines here.)

Activities and expenses that are covered include cleanup, disinfection and disposal of affected property, temporary living expenses for accommodations and meals during evacuation, emergency clothing, boarding of pets at kennels in the immediate days after clearing out of your home, and "structural expenses" including the repair of septic tanks and leaching beds.

Again, if you want a more detailed list of covered expenses, go to the guidelines.

The exact date on which the province officially announces DRAO has kicked in is important because people will then have 120 calendar days from that date to apply. So, keep watching the news.

Planning to file a civil suit to recover losses related to the disaster? Don't withhold that information from your DRAO application, or else your application might be denied and you might also be ordered to reimburse any DRAO money you got, the province's guidelines warn.

Don't be surprised if an adjuster requests to visit your property for the purpose of assessing your application, because that can happen.

And finally, if there's one phrase that gets mentioned perhaps more than anything else in the province's instructions for DRAO applicants, it's this:

She had 'enhanced' flood coverage, but her insurer still denied her claim

Sutcliffe has said to expect several motions at Wednesday morning's city council meeting to provide further help, such as waiving building fees to repair flooded basements.

On Tuesday, the mayor signalled the city is also partnering with the Canadian Red Cross on a series of steps to help flood victims, including support from experts with insurance claims, access to engineers and renovation specialists, "and other social and human supports as residents continue to navigate this very difficult situation."

With files from Arthur White-Crummey and Andrew Foote