Province to Help Flood Victims Get Back on Their Feet

Premier Darrell Dexter announced a new Disaster Financial Assistance program today, Jan. 14, that will help Nova Scotians with uninsurable damage from the November 2010 rain storms and floods.

"The province knows that Nova Scotians have been hit hard by these storms and they need help now," Premier Dexter said. "I toured the area shortly after the storms and saw the damage for myself. It was severe.

"This is the right thing to do for people who would otherwise have nowhere else to turn for help."

From Nov. 4 to 10, about 200 millimetres of rain fell in some areas of Nova Scotia, causing severe flooding and damage to homes and infrastructure.

The $5.6-million Disaster Assistance Program will help people, small businesses and charitable organizations in Digby, Shelburne, Yarmouth, Lunenburg, Queens, Annapolis, Kings, Halifax, Colchester, Cumberland, and Pictou counties with uninsurable losses. It will also cover much of the cost of replacing public infrastructure damaged or destroyed in the major wind and rain storm.

"It has been hard on many people to have this kind of destruction and disruption in their lives," said Ross Landry, Minister of Emergency Management. "We invite claims immediately, and will pay out qualifying claims as fast as possible."

Under the program, the province expects to recover about $3.15-million from the federal government, leaving about $2.4 million for the province to cover.

About $4.5 million will be spent by the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal on public properties such as bridges. One major expense is replacing the Tusket River Bridge on Highway 3.

Municipal infrastructure repairs will cost about $75,000, while damage to individual, small businesses and non-profit agency properties are expected to cost about $1-million.

The program for the November floods is similar to the relief plan Premier Dexter announced Oct. 27, for the Meat Cove area, where heavy rains in August caused extensive infrastructure and private property damage.

Damages from severe weather since that time total about $13 million. Almost $100-million has gone to 10 such programs in Nova Scotia since 1999, of which $30.5 million has been recovered.

Claims information and application forms are available on the EMO website at emo.gov.ns.ca/ and at Access Nova Scotia centres.