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Homeowners, farmers and businesses can now apply for assistance to help cover the costs of flood proofing their property including work done since March 2009, Water Stewardship Minister Christine Melnick announced today.

 

“This program is a significant investment and will benefit many Manitobans, whether they live and work in communities or in rural areas,” said Melnick.  “Permanent flood-protection works are a wise investment, preventing further damage in areas which are prone to flooding.”

 

The program is aimed at helping those in areas where the flood risk is highest such as the Red River area north of Winnipeg. The 2010 Manitoba Individual Flood Proofing Initiative provides $9.8 million to assist homeowners, business and farm owners to protect eligible buildings and structures from future flood damages.  This program will be delivered over six years and cover a maximum total project cost of $100,000. Similar to the 1997 flood-proofing program, the landowner is responsible to pay 14 per cent of the total project cost, the minister said.

 

The type of work eligible includes construction of dikes, elevating structures by placing them on earth mounds and moving structures out of flood-risk areas. In some circumstances, neighbourhood dikes will also be considered.

 

The deadline for application is Dec. 31. Landowners are reminded that if they require provincial funding, they should not begin construction of new flood-protection works until their application is approved.

 

Copies of the application form, program guidelines booklet and construction guidelines are available at www.manitoba.ca/waterstewardship or call 1-866-MANITOBA (1-866-626-4862).

 

As well, $1.2 million is now available to assist municipalities to complete feasibility studies for construction of new dikes or improvements to existing community dikes. The province will provide a grant to municipalities to cover two-thirds of the cost of a feasibility study for proposed projects approved for review, to ensure dikes will be cost-effective and in the best locations, Melnick said. 

  

Construction of community diking projects determined to be feasible will be considered for funding jointly by the federal and provincial governments, with the municipality to cover 10 per cent of the total project cost.  The province will work with the Association of Manitoba Municipalities to provide further information and program details to all municipalities in Manitoba, the minister added.

 

Manitoba is also funding numerous other programs such as enhanced hydrometric and climate monitoring, and ice-jam mitigation.  These are detailed in the attached backgrounder.

 

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