Update:
As the deadline approaches for people impacted by July’s flooding in the Chilcotin so far 27 applications have been submitted from homeowners, farm owners and small business owners, Emergency Management BC confirmed.
A spokesperson for Emergency Management BC said Friday, Oct. 11, two applications have been paid and a third is being processed and the majority of applications which have not been resolved were received in the past 30 days.
When DFA receive an application, it is entered within 24 hours and a phone call is made to the applicant within a few days.
“When the applicants meet the criteria, a site visit is set up and if they have eligible damage, a payout will happen within approximately a seven to 12-week turnaround,” the spokesperson said.
Many applications are still under review due to the extent of damage and the complexity of the situation, and Emergency Management BC continues to work with the applicants through the process.
Original:
People impacted by flooding in the Chilcotin in July have until Wednesday, Oct. 16 to submit an application for Disaster Financial Assistance from Emergency Management B.C.
Anyone who has not applied is being urged to contact the Cariboo Regional District (CRD) recovery manager who remains active in the Big Creek community and is able to answer questions and connect people with support and programs.
“If you have not applied, I encourage you to call the recovery manager, and have a conversation about the impacts at your household level and know there could be some help in filling out your forms if needed,” said Stephanie Masun, a contractor for the CRD working on the flood recovery program. “I am working with the recovery manager and with Emergency Management B.C. directly.”
Read more: Impact of summer’s flooding still rippling through Big Creek community
Masun said the impacts were widespread and depended on the distance of properties from the creek systems.
“In general the entire community was impacted because of access and egress being challenged during the July 6 rain event,” Masun said.
In July the CRD estimated around 47 properties were damaged due to the flooding, but Masun said it will be difficult to know for sure until all the applications for assistance come in and the fact that some people don’t apply.
DFA is available to homeowners, residential tenants, small business owners, farmers, charitable organizations and local governments that were unable to obtain insurance to cover their disaster-related losses. Those impacted by overland flooding in any area of the Cariboo Regional District or Tsilhqot’in National Government may be eligible.
Read more: CRD estimates 47 properties impacted by flooding in Chilcotin
“We have community person we are connecting with to make sure our communications are well directed to the community members that live there and also to make sure we are understanding what we are hearing back,” Masun said. “It’s really important to acknowledge that community knowledge is important and is the basis of recovery to better understand how the community functions and what the community’s unique identity is.”
After the 2017 wildfires, residents told the CRD during its community consultation meetings that community knowledge is important, she added.
“I think that’s key and something we heard broadly and fundamental to how we are designing things as we go forward,” Masun said.
Find more information and applications at www.gov.bc.ca/disasterfinancialassistance.
Contact the recovery manager at 1-866-759-4977 or recovery@cariboord.ca.
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