Central Alberta municipalities are seeking provincial disaster assistance after severe flooding this spring and summer damaged basements, roads and other infrastructure.
In Red Deer County’s case, a tornado that touched down earlier this month is also prompting financial aid.
The City of Red Deer will not be applying for government aid after heavy rains swamped the city a week ago, on July 19.
Ric Henderson, assistant manager for Red Deer County, said on Monday that two applications have been sent to Alberta Municipal Affairs, the department responsible for the Disaster Recovery Program covering uninsurable losses.
Large businesses are not eligible. Small businesses, homeowners, tenants, institutions and condominium associations that suffered damage can get money from the program.
The municipality sent one application after suffering about $2 million in damage to roads throughout the region.
“We’ve had lots of gravel roads under water . . . because of drainage issues,” Henderson said. “There are still roads with water on them that we can’t get fixed yet.”
The municipality has also filed an application on behalf of residential damages from a tornado on July 7.
Henderson said about 16 properties near Innisfail were damaged, so aid would be sought for them. Plus, the county needs money for cleanup costs, primarily for dozens of trees toppled over on Range Road 21.
“We just need to say to the province that this event covered a wide area, lots of people were affected and there’s damage,” said Henderson. “The specifics of individual costs will come up later.”
Lacombe and Eckville were heavily flooded after being pounded by rainfall on July 11.
Therese Kleeberger, chief administrative officer for the Town of Eckville, said the municipality has applied for disaster aid for itself and residents. The town’s storm sewer system suffered about $75,000 damage.
“We have 127 names listed where they have flooded basements and such,” Kleeberger said on Monday. “When you think you only have 450 (households), that’s 25 per cent or better.”
Deven Kumar, communications co-ordinator for the City of Lacombe, said owners of more than 80 properties registered through the municipality.
“We will be preparing an application with the province this week,” said Kumar.
Lacombe County staff are gathering names from area residents to see an application for government aid is needed. As of Monday afternoon, they had 20 properties listed. A number of roads and culverts were washed out as well, with damages estimated at $100,000 to $200,000.
Karen Mann, emergency management co-ordinator for the City of Red Deer, said the city will not apply to the Disaster Recovery Program because it doesn’t meet the criteria to make such an application.
City staff spoke with a number of residents on the south end who suffered various degrees of damage.
Mann said the damage this time appears to be more limited than during the severe rains in mid-July 2010. Then, the city qualified under the program.
“Last year, we fielded nearly 400 calls from impacted residents all across the city,” Mann said. “This year, we have received less than 100 total calls.”
The number of calls isn’t a criterion for applying to the recovery program, but it does show the widespread and extensive nature of the event’s impact, which is important for the application, she added.
Last year, the provincial government announced eight Central Alberta municipalities would receive up to $7 million for uninsurable flood losses caused from heavy rains between July 10 and 20.
Alberta Municipal Affairs spokesman John Muir said municipalities apply on behalf of residents and so far Disaster Recovery Programs have been launched in southwestern and southeastern Alberta, and most recently in Calgary.
ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com