As 2015 is quickly coming to a close, many are glad to see the back of it. For the communities of Chestermere and Langdon it has been one of sadness, loss and destruction. Now, it wasn’t all bad but if you were one of the unlucky that had to deal with flooding, rebuilding, insurance blah blah blah….you’re glad to see 2015 gone. However, Friday December 18th brought out an announcement that is a true Christmas miracle.
On July 12, 2015, nearly 300 residential property owners in Chestermere and Rocky View County were left with damage to their homes after severe weather. The storm also damaged municipal infrastructure such as public parks. It was asked of residents affected by the flood to email into their municipal reps and let them know their stories of their flood experience and from that and application for flood funding relief from the Provincial government was submitted.
Approximately $9 million will be allocated from the province’s Disaster Recovery Program (DRP) to assist in flood recovery for residents in Chestermere and Langdon. The DRP is intended to help eligible applicants with repairs to property that are not covered by insurance, and covers the restoration of essential property back to basic, pre-disaster condition.
The program will not apply to property where the damage has been deemed to be solely caused by sewer backup. But if the damage is the result of a combination of sewer backup and overland flooding, DRP assistance may be available. Disaster relief is also intended to assist both municipalities with the cost of emergency operations and repairing damaged infrastructure.
“By providing disaster relief to residents whose homes were damaged by the July flood, it’s my hope we can relieve some of the anxiety and financial stress caused by the storm. This support is one way our government is working to help the municipalities of Chestermere and Rocky View County recover and rebuild.” Said Danielle Larivee, Minister of Municipal Affairs
“Our community has been pulling together to support those affected by the terrible flood in July. This is very welcome news to help families in Chestermere rebuild their lives. We appreciate the support given by the province to us as we have worked through the DRP process.” said Patricia Matthews, Mayor of Chestermere
Municipal Affairs staff will continue to work with the municipalities to co-ordinate available support. Residents can attend temporary registration centres where staff will provide assistance with DRP applications. The centre in Rocky View County will be open on January 14 and the centre in Chestermere will be open January 15 and 16.
Applicants should bring:
• government-issued ID;
• a letter from their insurance company indicating any insurance coverage;
• a list of damaged and/or replaced items;
• a record of time spent cleaning up;
• pictures of damaged and discarded property, including both interior and exterior views, and;
• receipts for clean-up, repairs and replacement of damaged items.
The application deadline is March 16, 2016. Information on registration centre locations, hours and the application process can be found at www.aema.alberta.ca/disaster-recovery-programs
More details will be provided in the New Year regarding the location and times of the registration centres in both Langdon and Chestermere.
