Province offers relief funding to Muskoka flood victims

BRACEBRIDGE, ONT.— Residents in Bracebridge and Huntsville affected by flooding will be able to apply for provincial disaster recovery assistance, the Ontario government announced Friday, as high water levels are receding.

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing said it has extended the program to those central Ontario communities — earlier this week it activated the program in Renfrew County and Pembroke in eastern Ontario.

It applies to primary residences and their basic contents, as well as to small businesses, farms and not-for-profit organizations, so damages to cottages or other secondary residences would not qualify. The program helps cover emergency expenses and the costs to repair or replace essential property that aren’t covered by insurance after a natural disaster.

The Canadian Red Cross also announced financial assistance of up to $600 for households affected by flooding in Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario.

Premier Doug Ford met Friday with the mayors of Muskoka Lakes and Bracebridge to discuss the flooding after giving an Ontario Chamber of Commerce speech.

“All the crews and volunteers that I’ve seen, working tirelessly to help every one affected in this flooding region — these people are the best of Ontario,” said Ford, who visited the areas last week. “I saw first-hand how the flooding affected communities and it just broke my heart. You see the water coming into their basements, you see the sand bags around their cottages and you just can’t imagine, unless it’s happened to you, the damage water does.”

Ford said he will set up a task force to look at flood prevention, starting mid-next week.

“We are going to sit down with a group of stakeholders, (to examine) how we can come up with better ways at controlling the water system, because we can’t be facing this,” he said.