Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in Canada, and in 2013, significant spring flooding in Saskatchewan caused major damage to homes, municipalities, First Nation communities, agricultural structures, small businesses, and to both public and private infrastructure across much of the province.
Today, the Honourable Bill Blair, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, announced an interim payment of $19,666,317 to Saskatchewan, through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) program, to assist with recovery costs associated with the 2013 floods.
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. The original five-year limit for this event was October 2019; however, the province requested two extensions, and the revised deadline to submit the final request for payment is now December 2023.
