Town of Lincoln requests Ontario to activate DRAO after severe floods

The Town of Lincoln is formally requesting Ontario to consider activating the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO) program after the recent flooding events that affected the community.

Since July 31, the town has been collecting detailed information about the impacts experienced, including the areas affected, the timing and severity of flooding and the ways residents, businesses and properties have been impacted.

The town has also continued to advocate for flood recovery assistance through meetings with provincial representatives at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference as well as through ongoing discussions with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

The Town of Lincoln is asking residents who have experienced flooding and have not yet reported their impacts to do so online by Aug. 31.

Residents affected by flooding are encouraged to continue working with their insurance providers to understand what coverage may be available under their policies.

“Every report helps us build the most complete and accurate picture possible of what our community has experienced,” said Mayor Sandra Easton.

“We know many residents have been through an incredibly difficult time and we want them to know that we have continued to advocate for support and have worked to ensure the province has the information needed to assess Lincoln’s situation.”

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Now that the town has submitted the available information and formally requested consideration for DRAO, the decision on whether and where to activate the program rests with the province.

The DRAO program has not been activated for any area in Lincoln and applications are not currently being accepted.

In recent discussions with the ministry, the town was reminded that DRAO is not intended to replace private insurance. The availability of insurance is an important factor in determining whether the program may be activated.

Ontario is working with Lincoln to assess storm-related flood damage and determine whether there are areas where uninsured damage resulting from the overflow of creeks, rivers or lakes may meet the program’s criteria.

If DRAO is activated, assistance may not necessarily be available to every resident or every type of flood damage. However, the town is actively advocating for all areas of Lincoln to be eligible.

Eligibility depends on the province’s decision, the geographic area covered by any activation, the cause of the flooding, the availability of insurance and the specific eligibility requirements of the program.

“While the final decision is not within the town’s control, we remain committed to sharing information openly and helping residents understand what supports may be available as soon as we receive further direction from the province,” said Chief Administrative Officer Michael Kirkopoulos.

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