Minister Sajjan reaffirms support to the province of Manitoba to respond and recover from disasters

WINNIPEG, MB, Nov. 15, 2023 /CNW/ - Disasters cause by climate related natural disasters are a growing threat to the safety and economic stability of Canadian communities. The Government of Canada is committed to helping Canadians whose lives are affected when emergencies happen, helping communities deal with the realities of increased climate-related risks and disasters, and, ultimately, increasing our resiliency.

The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, concluded a visit to Manitoba where he met with his counterpart the Honourable Lisa Naylor, Manitoba's Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, and Minister of Consumer Protection and Government Services.

In his first of several roundtables, the Minister met with stakeholders and key emergency management partners, including local governments, non-governmental organizations and Indigenous organizations, to discuss lessons learned from recent emergencies, with the goal to collectively better prepare for future events and the range of hazards faced in Canada. While in Winnipeg, he toured Manitoba's Emergency Management Organization Centre and visited the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC), which played a key role in the coordination of this year's historic wildfire season.

During his visit, the Minister also announced five payments totaling $193,720,186 to Manitoba through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) program, to assist with response and recovery costs associated with the 2022 spring flood, 2020 June rainstorm, 2019 October storm, 2016 June flood, and the 2014 spring flood.

Through these arrangements, the Government of Canada continues to support the province of Manitoba to respond and recover from disasters.

"As the effects of climate change increase the frequency of disasters like flooding, we are committed to supporting Canadians, and keeping them safe. These payments will help support the province of Manitoba with their recovery and rebuilding efforts, as we work together to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Prioritizing our resiliency towards recurring extreme weather events will help strengthen our adaptability and our ability to better recover."

- The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada

"Keeping Manitobans safe and responding quickly and effectively to emergencies when they happen is a priority for our government, and partnering with the Federal Government is important to ensure this goal is met. I was pleased to welcome Minister Sajjan to Winnipeg, and I look forward to continue working together on increasingly critical issues such as protecting Manitobans in the context of a changing climate."

- The Honourable Lisa Naylor, Manitoba's Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Minister of Consumer Protection and Government Services

• In Canada, emergencies are managed first at the municipal level and if assistance is needed, the municipality requests it from the province or territory. If the emergency escalates further, provinces or territories can get help from the federal government.
• In the event of a large-scale disaster, the Government of Canada provides financial assistance through the DFAA program to provinces and territories, at their request, for eligible disaster response and recovery expenses that exceed what they could reasonably be expected to bear on their own. Provincial or territorial governments design, develop and deliver disaster financial assistance, deciding the amounts and types of assistance that will be provided to those who have experienced losses.
• The DFAA provides assistance when response and recovery costs exceed what individual provinces or territories could be expected to bear on their own. Federal government payments are calculated on a per capita basis and are cost-shared with the province or territory. The amount cost-shared is determined by an established formula of up to 90 percent of the costs of eligible expenses.
• Eligible expenses under the DFAA include, but are not limited to, evacuation operations, restoring public works and infrastructure to their pre-disaster condition, as well as restoration or replacement of individuals' uninsurable principle dwellings, restoration of small businesses, and farmsteads and mitigation measures to reduce the future vulnerability of repaired or replaced infrastructure.
• Under the DFAA, provinces and territories have six months following the end of a disaster event to request financial assistance from the federal government. Once an event has been designated under the DFAA, provinces and territories have up to five years to submit their final claim.
• Following the approval of an Order-in-Council which is required to make payments, in the first 12 months following the end of an event, a province or territory may request in writing advance DFAA payments to address early requirements. These requests must contain supporting documentation, including actual interim expenditures and projected estimates, for review by the federal auditor. Based on this audit review, Public Safety Canada determines the total amount of the advance payments which should not exceed half of the projected federal cost-share.
• Since the inception of the program in 1970, the DFAA has been a reliable source of support for provinces and territories. As of March 2023, the Government of Canada has provided $7.9 billion in post disaster assistance to help provinces and territories with the costs of response and returning infrastructure and property to pre-disaster condition.
• Budget 2023 committed $48.1 million over five years, starting in 2023-2024, to identify high-risk flood areas and implement a modernized DFAA program which would incentivize mitigation efforts. This work is being informed by the findings and recommendations of an independent advisory panel and the input of provinces and territories. A modernized program is expected in April 2025.

• Backgrounder: Breakdown of DFAA payments

• Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements
• Guidelines for the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements
• Minister Blair welcomes final report from expert advisory panel on Canada's approach to disaster recovery funding

SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada