With a potential mail strike by Canada Post, the British Columbia government is taking action to ensure that those receiving payment for uninsurable disaster-related losses after the rain storm that washed across the Peace River Regional District in June 2016, receive their money without delay.

The Province, in collaboration with the regional district, will be forgoing the usual cheque in the mail and instead, is couriering them directly to the local authority, which will arrange delivery. In Dawson Creek, for example, city staff will hand-deliver these cheques.

The Disaster Financial Assistance program (DFA) in B.C. boasts to be the fastest in Canada for payment and the unusual delivery method for the recent rain event is an innovative and collaborative way to ensure that residents who are receiving money to help restore their homes, small businesses or farms, do not wait longer than necessary for payment.

To date, 144 applications have been made to the Province for financial aid through the Disaster Financial Assistance Program by residents of the Peace River Regional District, and approximately $70,000 in payments have been processed to date, although the deadline for submission does not close until Sept. 15, 2016.

Disaster Financial Assistance was authorized for the rain event for residents from Dawson Creek, Chetwynd, Fort St John, Hudson’s Hope, Pouce Coupe, Taylor, Tumbler Ridge and the First Nations communities of Saulteau and West Moberly.

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

Disaster Financial Assistance has consistently provided a helping hand to British Columbians since it was established in 1995. Since 2007, it has paid over $19 million to help individuals and small business owners recover from uninsurable disasters. (It provided $1.5 million in funding for eligible disaster claims in 2015 and $1.8 million in 2014).