City will subsidize basement flood-proofing

Homeowners are rushing to floodproof their homes as Toronto continues to be pelted by rain. And the City is offering subsidies of up to $3,400 help keep basements dry.

Over the past decade, the municipal government has put $37 million toward the costs of flood-proofing for 21,500 properties, through the Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program.

“With increasingly frequent severe weather events, it is essential that homeowners take appropriate action to reduce the risk of basement flooding on their own private property,” reads the program’s webpage.

The subsidies cover 80 per cent of the installation costs of three specific flood prevention devices. A backwater valve, which prevents sewage from backing up into a home, is subsidized, up to a maximum of $1,250. A sump pump, to shift water away from the house, is subsidized up to $1,750. And pipe severance and capping — disconnecting your home’s weeping tile drainage pipe from the city’s sewer system, and covering the opening — is subsidized up to $400.

On average, participating homeowners receive a total of $1,700.

Homeowners must apply to City Hall for the subsidy and obtain a building permit for the backwater valve. The process can take several weeks, according to the city.

Toronto was soaked by nearly a month’s worth of rain this week, according to Environment Canada weather reports.

Pierre Van Belleghem, co-owner of AquaSeal Basement Waterproofing Contractors, said his company has received over 500 calls this week, from homeowners across Southern Ontario in need of flood protection.

Many Torontonians learned about flood proofing the hard way in July 2013, when a storm deluged subway stations, roads, backyards and basements.