By Angela Brown

City hoping province will compensate flooded residents

Aug 23, 2017 | 5:00 PM

North Battleford residents may soon be able to replace their remaining buckets of water with buckets of cash if the province decides the city qualifies under its disaster assistance program, following the Aug. 8 flooding after an intense rainfall.

“We want to see the province help as many people as they can in our city,” said Mayor Ryan Bater.

Council agreed at its meeting Monday to apply to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Government Relations, through the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP), to designate the city an area affected by natural disaster as a result of the heavy rainstorm — a severe weather occurrence — to help residents receive support.

“City hall received 30 calls the day after the storm from residents and property owners who were experiencing flooding,” said Bater. 

He said he spoke to many families concerned about the “considerable damages” to their property.

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“This is obviously very emotional for families,” Bater added. “It’s a devastating thing to deal with.”

As a result of the flooding, a number of residents’ basements in particular were damaged.

During the storm, a total of 60 mm of rain fell in parts of North Battleford over a six-hour period.

The city describes the Aug. 8 event in the Battlefords as a one-in-25 year storm, based on the precipitation recorded.

If the city is successful, after it receives the designation from the province, residents can apply directly to the province through the PDAP program for assistance.

Bater said homeowners are not eligible for the provincial funding program if they are already insured for flooding however.

The city estimated damages and losses to private property at about $450,000 in total, based on reports from 30 residents with damages or losses of about $15,000 on average each.

Utility Services Director Stewart Schafer said in his report, “we are sure some of the residences experienced more than $15,000 worth of damage.”

Some of the areas that experienced heavy overland flooding from the storm include 17 Avenue at 101 Street, and 13 Avenue at 103 Street.

The province expects to provide a response to the city’s request by Sept. 8.  

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW