By Staff
March 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Close to half of the August 2014 flood claims have been reviewed by the Burlington Community Foundation Flood Disaster Relief Claims Committee (DRC) Of the 156 claims reviewed 129 have been approved for a partial payment.
The August 4th, 2014 flood hit both residential and commercial properties.
When the rains came down Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring was on the phone within 48 hours setting up committees to manage the relief effort he knew was going to be needed.
He called on the Burlington Community Foundation to oversee the relief effort and leaned on Burlington business man Ron Foxcroft to head up a fund raising effort.
Foxcroft brought in just short of $1 million in 100 days.
While it took a lot of arm twisting to get the province to come through with an Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program (ODRAP) program that gave the city $2 for each dollar raised – it did happen.
Those funds are now being distributed.
“The Committee is on track with its work and has reviewed half of the 310 claims submitted,” said Colleen Mulholland, President and CEO, Burlington Community Foundation. “We continue to receive very positive feedback from victims who are receiving financial assistance.”
The paying out of funds is a little awkward, necessary because of the rules surrounding the provincial government ODRAM rules.
The Disaster Relief Claims Committee (DRC) will not know how much the claims are going to amount to until all the claims are reviewed. They decided they could pay out half of the approved claim just as soon as the claim was approved.
Trying to save as much as possible from rising flood waters. Some homes had completely flooded basements with water running through the main floor.
Once all the claims are processed the DRC will know how much they have left and distribute that amount proportionately when all the claims have been reviewed.
More than 191 mm of rain fell in one day
During the first three months of 2015, interim claim payments of $696,000 was distributed. The goal is to have all 310 claims assessed to determine final payment amounts. The BCF wants to have this process wrapped up by April 30.
“I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am to receive your letter,” one claimant said. “The abatement company has been very patient in waiting to be paid so that will be a tremendous weight off my mind. We will now be able to get started on the refinishing of the basement.”
At mid-February the Foundation had paid out a total of $696,000 which would work out to a little over $9000 per claimant. A breakdown wasn’t provided on the more recent payments..
The Claims Committee continues to meet every two weeks to process each claim.
