The Ontario government is notifying the municipalities of Ottawa, Clarence-Rockland, Champlain and Alfred and Plantagenet that it has activated the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians program in areas affected by recent overland flooding from the Ottawa River.

Heavy rainfall and snow melt have led to severe flooding across eastern Ontario. The municipalities of Ottawa, Clarence-Rockland and Alfred and Plantagenet have declared a state of emergency due to flooding. Several hundred primary homes and small businesses in the municipalities have been impacted. The City of Ottawa reported that 155 households at risk from rising water were voluntarily evacuated as water levels in the Ottawa River were near or above the historic peaks reached in 2017.

The disaster assistance program applies to a primary residence and its basic contents, or to a small business, farm or not-for-profit organization. It provides assistance for emergency expenses and the costs to repair or replace essential property following a natural disaster that are not covered by insurance. To find out if they are eligible for assistance, if they are in the activation area and for next steps, individuals, small businesses, farms and not-for-profit organizations should review the maps and program guidelines available at ontario.ca/DisasterAssistance, or call 1-844-780-8925 or email [email protected] after speaking with their private insurance provider.

Residents will have until September 4, 2019 to apply for assistance through the program.

The province is continuing to assess damage both in the Ottawa region and other parts of the province. Further disaster assistance activations are expected in the coming days and weeks.