Liberals say time right for insurance program

In the aftermath of the most costly disaster in Alberta’s history, the time is right for a government-run flood-insurance program, the provincial Liberals said Thursday.

Liberal MLA Kent Hehr said the province needs to either implement its own insurance program or pressure the federal government to institute a national flood insurance plan.

“For us to get serious about protecting not only the homeowners and communities, but also to protect the public purse from this type of payment we’re seeing right now, we need to develop a plan that sees people pay into it according to risk and according to actuaries going to do the work,” he said in an interview.

Damage from the June flood is anticipated to tally in the billions of dollars. The province has committed to help homeowners repair or rebuild properties damaged or destroyed by the inundation.

Private insurance for overland flooding is nearly impossible to get in Canada.

Hehr pointed to the United States as a jurisdiction with a successful government initiative in its National Flood Insurance Program.

The Wildrose party, in its report on the flooding released Thursday, also called on the provincial government to examine why overland flood insurance is unavailable.

Rick Fraser, the Tory associate minister responsible for High River’s recovery, said the government was willing to have a conversation about the flood insurance idea but noted it would likely be a costly initiative.

We need to develop a plan that sees people pay into it according to risk LIBERAL MLA KENT HEHR