Many citizens of Burlington have been struggling with the emotional, physical and financial hardship this disaster has inflicted on them. Conversations with the people of Burlington invariably turn to the August 4th flood with stories ranging from the amount of water that entered their homes to the level of service received or the response from the Region of Halton and the City of Burlington.
I want to thank everyone who offered a helping hand to the families of Burlington that were affected by the flood. It is these acts of kindness that make Burlington the number one city to live in Canada.
The Province designs, develops and delivers disaster financial assistance. The program is called the Ontario Disaster Relief Fund. This program will match private sector donations on a ratio of up to 2 to 1 for every dollar raised from non-government sources. The Province then decides on the amount and type of assistance. The Province then applies to Public Safety Canada for reimbursement of eligible response and recovery costs.
In our case, the Burlington Community Foundation and the United Way have teamed together with the City of Burlington and the Region of Halton. They have formed a Flood Disaster Relief Committee as well as a program to help those in need. This committee has set a goal of $2 million to help our neighbours who have little or no insurance coverage of damage done by the flood.
