Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) is now available to eligible British Columbians in 31 communities on Vancouver Island and across the Lower Mainland who may have been impacted from the major flooding that occurred earlier this week.

DFA is available to home owners, residential tenants, small business owners, farmers, charitable organizations and local government bodies who were unable to obtain insurance to cover these disaster-related losses.

Applications for DFA must be submitted to Emergency Management BC (EMBC) by Mar. 12, 2015. British Columbians can access the DFA application form at: www.embc.gov.bc.ca/em/dfa_claims/dfa.html.

Eligible communities include:

Vancouver Island:

Alberni Clayoquot Regional District
Campbell River
Comox Valley Regional District (Areas A, B and C)
Comox
Courtenay
Cumberland
Hupacasath First Nation
Nanaimo Regional District (All Areas)
Nanaimo
Parksville
Port Alberni
Powell River Regional District (Area B)
Powell River
Qualicum Beach
Snuneymuxw First Nation
Strathcona Regional District (Areas A and D)
Tsehaht First Nation

Lower Mainland:

Delta
Douglas First Nation
Fraser Valley Regional District
Lions Bay
Mount Currie Nation
North Vancouver
North Vancouver
Richmond
Samahquam First Nation
Skatin First Nation
Squamish Lillooet Regional District
Squamish
West Vancouver
Whistler

Facts about Disaster Financial Assistance:

Assistance is available to qualifying home owners, residential tenants, small business owners, farm owners, and charitable organizations. Applicants should be aware of the following:

• Financial assistance is provided for each accepted claim at 80 per cent of the amount of total eligible damage that exceeds $1,000, to a maximum claim of $300,000.
• Claims may be made in more than one category (e.g., home owner and farm owner). 
• A home owner or residential tenant must show that the home is their principal residence. 
• Seasonal or recreational properties, hot tubs, patios, pools, garden tools, landscaping, luxury items (like jewelry, fur coats and collectibles), and recreational items (like bicycles) are not eligible for assistance. 
• Small business owners and farm owners must demonstrate it is their primary source of income. Owners of damaged rental property must apply and qualify as a small business.
• Charitable Organizations must provide a benefit of service to the community at large.

Assistance is also available to local governments for:

• Emergency response measures authorized by EMBC by response task number, including incremental costs associated with their Emergency Operations Centre. Financial assistance is provided for each accepted response claim at 100 per cent. Completed response claim summaries and supporting documentation must be sent to the respective EMBC Regional Office.
• Recovery measures to replace essential materials and rebuild or replace essential public infrastructures to the condition it was in before the disaster. Assistance is provided for each accepted recovery claim at 80 percent of the amount of total eligible damage that exceeds $1,000.

Listen and learn about flood insurance and B.C.'s DFA program:

Johanna Morrow is EMBC’s manager of recovery and funding programs https://soundcloud.com/bcgov/bc_flood_insurance_dfa?in=bcgov/sets/emergencyinfobc 

Media Contacts:

Ministry of Justice
Government Communications and Public Engagement
250 213-3602