By Staff
August 7th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
City Council has approved a new flood relief grant program designed to assist homeowners rebuilding and repairing their homes after the July 15th/16th storm.
Program details
For a number of reasons water wasn’t able to be absorbed or run off through culverts – is just lay in the streets for several days.
The City of Burlington’s latest flood recovery measure will cover the cost of building permit fees for homeowners who experienced flooding damage during the severe weather event on July 15 and 16, 2024. Eligible homeowners will not be charged for zoning certificates and/or building permits needed for interior renovations.
Who is eligible for the new grant?
To qualify for the grant funding, homeowners must meet the following criteria:
Flooding occurred in the residential dwelling in connection with the July 15 or July 16, 2024, weather event.
Flooding was reported to Halton Region at 311.
A Halton Region representative has investigated and determined the water damage occurred within a residential dwelling due to the July 15/July 16, 2024, weather event.
The home owner will not have to pay for a permit to repair the flood damage to their homes.
Homeowners did not have home insurance coverage or had their insurance claim denied, as confirmed by their insurance company.Renovations must be like-for-like replacements.Eligible zoning certificate and building permit applications must be submitted before Dec. 20, 2024.
Why the requirement to have been denied insurance coverage?
What’s covered?
The following fees for qualified work will be covered in the City’s newest grant program.
Zoning Certificate Fees:
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- Residential basement finish
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- Additional residential unit
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- Zoning exemption
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- Building Permit Fees:
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- Interior alterations/renovations
- Additional residential unit
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Other flood-related financial assistance available
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- Halton Region Ex Gratia Grant of $1000
- Halton Region is offering a $1,000 Ex Gratia Grant for Public Sewer Backup, aimed at helping eligible residents offset insurance deductibles or other flooding-related costs not covered by insurance. Please call 311 to learn more.
- Burlington Flood Relief Grant of $1,000
- The City of Burlington is offering a Flood Relief Grant of $1000, to residents with confirmed residential flooding not eligible for the Halton Region grant. Please call 311 to learn more.
- Burlington Home Flood Protection Program
- Since 2017, the City of Burlington has offered the Home Flood Protection Program to help homeowners reduce their risk of basement flooding and minimize damage if flooding occurs. The program offers homeowners up to 50 per cent of the cost of Home Flood Protection Assessments which aim to find potential ways that water/sewage can enter your home.
- Burlington Plumbing Permit Fee Grant Program
- Since the 2014 flood, the City of Burlington has offered a Plumbing Permit Fee Grant Program covering the cost of a building permit associated with specific improvements done in homes or businesses to reduce the risk of basement flooding.
- Halton Region’s Enhanced Basement Flooding Prevention Subsidy Program
- Halton Region’s Enhanced Basement Flooding Prevention Subsidy Program offers financial support for residents who make improvements to prevent stormwater from entering the wastewater system and reduce the risk of flooding from sewer backup. Available subsidies include backwater valve installation, downspout disconnection and more.
- Halton Region Ex Gratia Grant of $1000
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This item slid through Council very quickly.
Mayor Meed Ward said: “The recent flooding has had a devastating impact on many Burlington residents. Our goal with this additional flood relief program is to ease the financial burden of rebuilding and help our community recover as quickly as possible.”
Links and Resources
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- To apply for assistance with a building permit fee, please email buildingpermits@burlington.ca.
- To apply for assistance with a zoning certificate fee, please email Community Planning.
- To learn more about all flood-related financial assistance programs, visit burlington.ca/flood.
- Zoning certificates
- Building permits
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When things get settled I would like to know what residents had to pay out of pocket to get their homes back in a liveable condition?
I would also like to know how long it took residents to get any grants etc. that they were able to qualify for?
From what I have read any help from the different levels of government requires the homeowner to go through many hoops before any money is received if it is deemed that they qualify.
The Marsden’s delegation this morning was very telling. They told of a family who after a few days of assistance have been left on their own to find a place to live and start all the paperwork to see if and what they might be entitled to in the way of government assistance. The woman who was going to delegate this morning was mentally unable to do so.
Certainly more can be done to provide temporary housing for the families whose homes are unliveable.
I am willing to bet that in the end when every level of government decides who is responsible for this flooding yet again the City of Burlington will not look good.
The City of Burlington failed to protect these residents after the last catastrophic flood. Once an insurance claim has been made as a result of flooding they are no longer covered should this happen again.
Money was spent by the City to improve the infrastructure needed, however staff failed to maintain the areas properly by not mulching downed trees and leaves in the hope that they would compost and not create any problems.
Do we really deserve to be voted the “best midsize city”?
How nice. I mean who and why would even apply for building repair? All governments need to be downsized big time.
Apparently, we are up to 43% of income in taxes. Higher than our total for housing, food and, clothing costs which was I think 33%. Completely unsustainable.
I also read that the defined benefit public pension plan has about a 41-billion-dollar surplus. Does the average employed middle class person in the private sector feeling abused and pillaged enough yet?
Add in the $226 per night hotel bill for 4000 hotel rooms etc. for irregular refugees and asylum seekers which is just the start of their costs.
I rest my case, revolution is nearing in this country.
End of rant!
50% taxes on income is the accepted breakpoint for a black-market economy, black-markets also thrive in overpopulated jurisdictions; I’m afraid the honest hard-working comfortably off tax-paying citizen is not a recipe for a wealthier 1%, remember 100 people will spend $100 faster than one person.