The City of St. Catharines has handed a detailed picture of this summer's severe flooding to provincial officials as it continues pushing for financial help for affected residents.
The city has been collecting and sharing information with provincial staff to advocate for assistance through the Province's Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO) program, according to a City of St. Catharines news release.
As part of that effort, the city invited residents to fill out an intake form describing how their properties were affected, giving officials a clearer view of the flooding experienced across the community.
What residents reported
The information gathered through the form included reports of overland flooding, sewer backups, property damage and challenges with insurance coverage.
Hundreds of households reported overland flooding, the city said.
The findings have now been shared with provincial staff to support their consideration of potential assistance, the release said.
Who makes the call
DRAO is a provincial program, meaning the Province is responsible for deciding whether it gets activated and who may be eligible for financial assistance. The City does not make those decisions.
While the decision rests with the Province, the city says it recognizes the importance of keeping residents informed about its work, and will continue to share updates about its efforts and any information provided by the Province.
Details about the program are available on the Ontario government's website.
The city acknowledged the flooding has had a significant impact on many residents, and thanked everyone who took the time to share their experiences through the recent effort.
"We remain committed to advocating for our community and working with the Province to support residents affected by the flooding," the news release stated.
