Victims of last Friday’s massive rainstorm will be offered a chance to access money to rebuild after the provincial government said Tuesday it would release Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA).
Torrential rains lashed the south coast of B.C. Friday, Jan. 31, leaving many wondering how they would pay for widespread flood damage.
In Port Coquitlam, at least six houses were severely flooded when Hyde Creek overflowed its banks, cascading water through several adjacent properties.
Next door in Coquitlam, two homes were damaged and six were temporarily evacuated Saturday morning along Harper Road in Coquitlam as a result of flooding from last Friday's massive rainstorm.
“DFA is available to homeowners, residential tenants, small business owners, farmers, charitable organizations and local government bodies who were unable to obtain insurance to cover these disaster-related losses,” wrote a spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General in a press release.
First Nation communities, electoral areas and municipalities within the following regions will be eligible to apply for funding:
- Greater Vancouver Regional District;
- Fraser Valley Regional District;
- Squamish Lillooet Regional District;
- Sunshine Coast Regional District;
- Capital Regional District;
- Cowichan Valley Regional District;
- and the Regional District of Nanaimo.
To be considered for funding, you must submit an application to Emergency Management BC by April 4, 2020.
Anyone in British Columbians can access the DFA application online at www.gov.bc.ca/disasterfinancialassistance.
—With files from Gary McKenna
