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Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe says Ontario’s municipal affairs minister told him Monday the province’s Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO) program should be available this week to residents affected by extreme rainfall and flooding on July 1.
DRAO can reimburse people for cleanup, repairing or replacing essential property and/or basic emergency expenses such as travel.
Homeowners are eligible for up to $250,000, as are small businesses, farms and non-profits.
City of Ottawa officials including the mayor and public health staff are giving another update Monday at 12:30 p.m. on the response to the major July 1 storms and flooding.
According to Environment Canada, 118 millimetres of rain fell at the Ottawa International Airport on Canada Day, starting around 2 p.m.
The city said last week that preliminary readings showed higher amounts fell elsewhere, particularly west of the core.
In Britannia, 167 millimetres of rain fell over about five hours. That’s nearly 17 centimetres, or more than half a foot of rain.
That amount of rainfall is supposed to come just once every 200 years or so, according to the city’s general manager of infrastructure and water services.
It appears rainfall amounts were highly localized on July 1, however: At the other end of town, the city said the Trim Road area of Orléans got just 15 millimetres.
As of Friday, the city said it had:
Received more than 5,400 reports of flooded basements.Removed more than 1.4 million kilograms or 1,400 tonnes of storm debris.Received more than 600 calls about damaged trees.Arranged emergency accommodation for 98 people from 58 homes.City offering support, information
Residents who experienced flooding are also being pointed toward city resources such as the compassionate grant program.
Three drop-in community information sessions remain for people affected by flooding:
The John G. Mlacak Centre at 2500 Campeau Dr. in Kanata, from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday.The Maki House at 19 Leeming Dr. in the Britannia area, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday.The Nepean Sportsplex at 1701 Woodroffe Ave., from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Other community information hubs closed for good on Sunday.
Special hazardous household waste drop-offs will be held at Sir Guy Carleton Secondary School on Centrepointe Drive and Lakeview Public School on Corkstown Road from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.