Thursday November 18, 2021 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke, Editor | Island Social Trends
If you were affected by flooding and landslides from the wind and rainstorm that occurred November 14 to 16 in BC, Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) is now available for eligible British Columbians in southwest, central and southeast areas of the province and Vancouver Island who were affected by flooding and landslides.
This assistance includes all Indigenous communities, electoral areas and municipalities within the geographic boundaries of these areas.
DFA is available to homeowners, residential tenants, business owners, local governments, Indigenous communities, farmers and charitable organizations that were unable to obtain insurance to cover disaster-related losses.
By regulation, DFA is unable to compensate for losses for which insurance was reasonably and readily available. DFA will assess each application using its legislative criteria in a fair and consistent way.
Applications for the DFA event must be submitted to Emergency Management BC (EMBC) by February 12, 2022.
British Columbians can access the DFA application online: http://www.gov.bc.ca/disasterfinancialassistance
Facts about Disaster Financial Assistance:
Applicants should be aware of the following:
- Financial assistance is provided for each accepted claim at 80% of the amount of total eligible damage that exceeds $1,000, to a maximum claim of $300,000.
- Claims may be made in more than one category (e.g., homeowner and farm owner).
- A homeowner or residential tenant must show that the home is their principal residence.
- Seasonal or recreational properties, hot tubs, patios, pools, garden tools, landscaping, luxury items (e.g., jewelry, fur coats and collectibles) and recreational items (e.g., bicycles) are not eligible for assistance.
- Small business owners and farm owners must demonstrate that their farms and businesses are their primary source of income.
- Charitable organizations must provide a benefit of service to the community at large.
- DFA is limited to restoring actual damage caused by a specific disaster that has been declared eligible for compensation.
Indigenous communities and local governments:
- Emergency response measures authorized by Emergency Management BC according to response task number.
- These include incremental costs associated with their Emergency Operations Centre.
- Financial assistance is provided for each accepted response claim at 100%.
- Completed response claim summaries and supporting documentation must be sent to the respective EMBC regional office.
===== Disaster Financial Assistance LINKS (provided by government):
Indigenous communities and local governments that have infrastructure damage as a result of the recent flooding should submit a local government DFA application as soon as possible, and no later than Feb. 12, 2022. Local government application forms and additional information are available on the EMBC website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-management/local-emergency-programs/financial/communities-dfa.
Information, eligibility criteria, categories and applications can be found calling toll free 1 888 257-4777 or visiting: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-management/preparedbc/evacuee-guidance/disaster-financial-assistance
===== OTHER:
TELUS has donated $1 million toward BC flood relief, spreading it around among Red Cross Canada, food banks, the BC SPCA, local charities helping with flood relief, and providing in-kind support to health, network and community services.
