Flooding along Meenan's Cove Beach in Quispamsis on April 29, 2019. (Submitted/Government of New Brunswick)
New Brunswick is offering a disaster financial assistance program for those affected by this spring’s flooding.
Eligible private residents will qualify for up to $160,000 while small businesses and not-for-profits could get up to $500,000.
Public Safety Minister Carl Urquhart said damages must first be registered with the province by June 15.
Residents will then have until August 30 to submit a disaster financial assistance application.
“You must also contact your insurance company to find out whether the damage you suffer is covered by your policy,” said Urquhart. “The government assistance is only available if your insurance did not cover the flooding.”
A Disaster Financial Assistance program has been launched to help people dealing with flooding in New Brunswick.https://t.co/fN5YkYweqr pic.twitter.com/IdNuj8Kjjb
— NBEMO / OMUNB (@NBEMO_OMUNB) May 3, 2019
The province also announced Friday it will increase advance payments for affected residents to $15,000 from $4,000.
“Past claimants told us that access to more advance funding would have helped them speed up their return to their homes,” Urquhart said.
The province said property buyouts will also be offered in cases where structural damages exceed 80 per cent of the property’s appraised value.
Residents who refuse a buyout can sell dwellings on the property to government and keep the land or take a payout for repairs, but will not be eligible for future disaster financial assistance programs.
Close to 80 buyouts were offered across the province after the 2018 flood.
No Help For Cottage Owners
As for owners of recreational properties, like cottages, Urquhart said they will not be eligible for any funding under the program.
“What we want is to get as much money back into primary residences with families as we possibly can,” he said.
Recreational property owners can still access free well water testing, roadside collection of flood debris, and the waving of fees for electrical system reconnections.
While it is too soon to say how much damage this year’s flood caused, New Brunswick EMO director Greg MacCallum said Friday the total will easily be in the tens of millions of dollars. The 2018 flood caused an estimated $74 million in damage.
The Canadian Red Cross is offering $600 to each family affected by the flood.
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