By Pepper Parr

April 1st, 2025

BURLINGTON, ON

Welcome news for the people flooded last summer – what took so long for these approvals?

The Ontario government is activating the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO) program for Tyandaga Park Drive, Meadowbrook Road, and Fieldgate Drive in the City of Burlington, which experienced flooding caused by overflowing creeks, in the summer of 2024.

On July 15 and 16, 2024, extraordinary, severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall led to flooding in several creekside neighborhoods in Burlington and other parts of the Greater Toronto Area.

On November 29, 2024, DRAO was activated in specific areas alongside creeks and rivers in parts of Burlington, Mississauga, Halton Hills, and Toronto due to flooding from the storm. Ontario is now activating the DRAO program for additional areas in Burlington that were also affected by overland flooding from the storm.

Very detailed maps on the areas covered by this announcement are provided. This is the Headon Forest map.

The disaster assistance program applies to a primary residence and its basic contents, or to a small business, farm or not-for-profit organization. It provides assistance for emergency expenses and the costs to repair or replace essential property following a natural disaster not covered by insurance.

To find out if they may be eligible for assistance, if they are in the activation area, and for next steps, individuals, small businesses, farms and not-for-profit organizations should review the maps and program guidelines available  ontario.ca/DisasterAssistance, or call 1-877-822-0116 or email disasterassistance@ontario.ca after speaking with their private insurance provider.

Residents with no insurance coverage, or whose insurance coverage is insufficient to cover essential costs, have until July 29, 2025 to apply for assistance through the program.

Additional Resources

Preparing for an emergency

Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians Guidelines