City of Regina applying for provincial disaster relief funding after September storm

Regina residents who experienced uninsurable water damage during last month’s storm might soon be able to apply for provincial assistance.

On Wednesday, Regina City Council unanimously agreed to apply to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency in order to designate the city as an eligible assistance area for the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program.

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According to Wednesday’s meeting agenda, the City of Regina received 124 service requests on Sept. 13 related to “excessive water” in residents’ homes.

“Neighbourhoods across Regina experienced flooding as the stormwater system could not keep up with the demand,” the agenda read.

“The Ross Street underpass on Ring Road was forced to be closed as well as Victoria Avenue Service Road.”

The report said that all municipalities must request Provincial Disaster Assistance Program assistance within 30 days of the event in question.

“It was important that we get that through today, because we do have a limited time window,” Mayor Chad Bachynski said on Wednesday.

Items considered eligible under the program include:

• furnace and hot water heaters, including an inspection, cleaning and/or repairs according to the SaskPower Emergency Procedures Guidelines;
• essential contents as per section 3.6.5 of the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program guidelines;
  carpeting and underlay;
• drywall, wall board, insulation, vapor barriers, etc.;
• garages and driveways;
• sewer, water and utility hookups;
• work to minimize further damage, such as temporary sandbagging or diking;
• cleanup of debris, including labour and equipment used to the max allowable in accordance with the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program cleanup guidelines; and
• mould remediation in exceptional circumstances as per section 3.6.4.2 in the PDAP Guidelines.

According to the city report, the provincial program can provide up to $240,000 in reimbursement for an eligible home and up to $500,000 for small businesses, including communal organizations and agricultural businesses.

Landlords are also eligible for up to $240,000 per unit “up to a maximum of $500,000 total for multiple properties.” Non-profit organizations can also receive up to $500,000.

The City of Regina previously applied for the program after widespread flooding following a major rainstorm in the summer of 2023.