A $15-million disaster-assistance fund has been set up by the province to assist people hammered by wild weather this spring and summer.

Steve Ashton, the minister responsible for emergency measures said Tuesday that disaster assistance is generally available for evacuation costs, costs to prevent or limit imminent damage and for non-insurable damage to basic and essential property such as principal residences, buildings and other non-insurable losses essential to the operation of eligible farms and small businesses.

The financial assistance program encompasses six storms that caused significant damage to a number of areas and municipalities across the province including Winnipeg, the province said.

These include:

  • Spring flooding, which caused significant damage in the Rural Municipalities of Morris, Montcalm and Franklin as well as the town of Emerson.
  • Overland flash flooding May 1 to 3 in the Duck Mountain area, which caused extensive damage to parts of the RMs of Mountain and Ethelbert.
  • Overland flooding, resulting in reports of significant public-sector damages on May 28 and 29 in the Red River Valley including the city of Winnipeg, the southern Interlake and Westman. Manitoba's emergency measures organization has already received more than 500 private-sector applications for assistance.
  • Heavy rains June 17 to 18 in western Manitoba near the Saskatchewan border, resulting in reports of significant public-sector damages and flooding of more than 100 homes in Killarney and the RM of Rosedale.
  • Severe thunderstorms, hail and heavy rain, which hit parts of the province June 26 with Steinbach, Hanover and La Broquerie reporting winds reaching 90 km/h.
  • Wind and severe thunderstorms, which affected much of central Manitoba July 1 to 3 with damage reported from the Duck Mountain region through to the RMs of Siglunes, Grahamdale and Fisher. Damage was also reported at the Peguis First Nation and Fisher River Cree Nation. Several homes in Ashern and Moosehorn were flooded.

Application forms and further details about disaster assistance are available online at www.manitobaemo.ca or from the Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization at 204-945-4772 or 1-888-267-8298 (a toll free call). Applications are also available at most municipal offices.