OTTAWA – Premier Kathleen Wynne toured several eastern Ontario communities Monday that have been devastated by flooding, including Clarence-Rockland, which has declared a state of emergency.
She has been in contact with the mayors of Ottawa, Clarence-Rockland, Champlain and the reeve of Minden Hills to make sure they have the resources they need, she said.
“What a couple of the mayors said to me this morning was that they’re bearing up, they’re tired, the community’s tired, but they are very appreciative of the support that they’ve gotten,” Wynne said before leaving Toronto.
READ MORE: Unrelenting rain worsens flood crisis in saturated Ontario, Quebec
Provincial assessment teams are in the communities, said Municipal Affairs Minister Bill Mauro, and they will make recommendations. The Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program can reimburse both home owners and municipalities for associated costs.
“The program is not intended to be a replacement for insurance, but there is assistance that’s available for essentials to private home owners depending on the kind of flooding they’ve experienced,” he said.
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The program has already been activated in Renfrew, so people there will now be making applications and provincial officials will make sure they are aware of the process, Mauro said.
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Large amounts of rainfall led to high water levels across much of Central and Eastern Canada, with Clarence-Rockland, east of Ottawa, declaring a state of emergency.
Quebec is the hardest hit province, with more than 2,400 residences flooded and 1,520 people evacuated.
About 1,200 soldiers are on the ground helping communities across the province, several of which are under states of emergency, and an addition 400 troops are expected to arrive later on Monday.
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