Residents and small businesses affected by the recent flooding in Muskoka may be able to access provincial funds to help with the damage.
Earlier this week Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Steve Clark signed an order activating the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO) program.
It is for Huntsville and Bracebridge, both towns that have declared states of emergency. It may extend to other towns in Muskoka and the District of Parry Sound shortly.
The DRAO program applies to a primary residence and its basic contents, or to a small business, farm or not-for-profit organization. It is not meant as a replacement for insurance, but does help with things like staying in a hotel if you are displaced from your home and coverage of damaged contents such as appliances and basic furniture.
For Parry Sound-Muskoka MPP Norm Miller, getting the program activated is important.
“I want to thank Minister Clark for recognizing the devastating situation, working with our local officials and acting as quickly as he has to activate the DRAO program for Bracebridge and Huntsville,” says Miller.
The Ministry is continuing to visit impacted communities across Parry Sound-Muskoka and around Ontario and is expected to activate the program in other communities as needed. With a number of devastated properties in the Township of Muskoka Lakes it is likely to be brought into the DRAO fold.
Administrators with DRAO say that a person’s primary household insurance should be applied to first, before accessing the program.
“It is heartbreaking to see the damage to people’s homes,” said Miller, who has been to Bracebridge, Huntsville, Katrine and Magnetawan to see firsthand the devastation caused by the flooding and speak to local officials and residents. “Our first priority is the safety of everyone involved including residents and emergency personnel. When the floods have subsided and the danger has passed, that will be the time to rebuild and consider how we plan for increasingly extreme weather events like this in the future.”
For more information on eligibility and what the program will cover, individuals, small business owners, and not-for-profit organizations can review program guidelines available at ontario.ca/DisasterAssistance, or call 1-844-780-8925 or email [email protected] after speaking with their private insurance provider.
