Today, the Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, issued the following statement:
"After days of heavy and repeated rainfall, communities across Manitoba's Parkland Region are facing significant flooding and disruption.
The conditions on the ground continue to shift, with some communities remaining focused on the immediate response, while others are beginning the difficult work of cleanup and recovery.
My thoughts are with everyone affected, especially families forced from their homes, and with the first responders, emergency personnel, local officials and community leaders working to keep people safe.
On Friday, I approved Manitoba's Request for Federal Assistance to support the flooding response and recovery. This follows ongoing discussions with Premier Kinew, my counterpart Minister Naylor, and federal and provincial officials to determine what resources would best support needs on the ground.
In the immediate term, federal support will include:
- Deploying a small team of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members to provide planning, assessment and coordination support for the ongoing flood response, as well as interim logistics and transportation support if tasks arise that only the CAF [CW1] can undertake.
- Mobilizing Team Rubicon Canada, a veteran-led disaster response organization, to assist with flood response and early recovery work. Team Rubicon will be providing assistance as part of the Humanitarian Workforce Program (HWF) at Public Safety Canada.
- Maintaining assistance from federally funded Humanitarian Workforce Program (HWF) partners, including the Canadian Red Cross, which are already supporting affected communities with emergency response efforts. Continued mobilization of HWF Program partners will continue in support of recovery work.
- Assisting provincial officials in the Manitoba Emergency Coordination Centre (MECC) with coordination, as well as finding and sourcing equipment such as pumps and recovery kits to help expedite recovery.
As communities move into recovery, the federal government will also support Manitoba through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements, which provides cost-shared funding for eligible provincial response and recovery expenses following major natural disasters such as the flooding event Manitoba has experienced.
I encourage everyone in affected areas to continue following the advice of local emergency management officials and to stay safe.
The federal government will continue working with the Province of Manitoba, local leaders and Indigenous partners to make sure Manitobans have the support they need now, and in the weeks and months ahead as recovery continues.
Canada stands with Manitoba through this difficult time."
