Red Cross opens donation campaign for Ottawa flood victims

Red Cross opens donation campaign for Ottawa flood victims

City council approved partnership on Wednesday

The Canadian Red Cross is now taking donations from the public to help thousands of people in Ottawa affected by flash flooding on July 1.

Waves of severe thunderstorms lashed the capital on Canada Day afternoon, dropping as much as 167 millimetres of rain on some neighbourhoods west of the core in a matter of hours.

As of the updates provided at Wednesday's city council meeting, more than 6,000 flooded basements had been reported to the city.

City councillors approved a motion from Mayor Mark Sutcliffe to enter into a formal partnership with the Canadian Red Cross to become the lead non-governmental organization for flood recovery.

Red Cross in partnership with city to help victims of Canada Day flooding

On Thursday, the Red Cross announced the start of its "2026 Ottawa Floods Appeal" donation campaign.

It said money will go toward relief, recovery and resilience, preparation for future natural disasters and supporting partner agency work.

The agreement is for six months and the city will contribute a maximum of $400,000.

Check in with each other after flood damage, psychiatrist says