The Ontario government has activated its disaster recovery assistance program for the part of Barrie that was affected by the EF-2 tornado on July 15.
The province’s program applies to a primary residence and its basic contents, a small business, a farm or a non-profit organization. It provides assistance for emergency expenses and the costs to repair or replace essential property that’s not covered by insurance after a natural disaster.
“Our government stands with the City of Barrie and the families and businesses impacted by this natural disaster,” Ontario’s municipal affairs and housing minister Steve Clark said in a statement.
“The DRAO program helps people with essential costs that are not covered by insurance. I encourage residents to contact their insurance company first. We’ll continue working in partnership with the city to help affected families and businesses get back on their feet.”
Residents can find out whether they’re eligible for the program on the provincial disaster recovery website. Those who are eligible have until Nov. 26 to apply for assistance through the province’s program.
Two weeks ago, a tornado with maximum speeds of up to 210 km/h ripped through south Barrie, damaging hundreds of homes and some small businesses. Many residents were forced to evacuate when more than 70 of the affected homes were deemed unsafe.