Burlington asking province for flood relief

(Update)
The city of Burlington is putting out a mass appeal tonight for help. The estimates of damage have been growing steadily from the devastating thunderstorms on Monday night. And the city is asking the province and the public to help people in Burlington restore their homes and their lives.

The city is trying to set up a disaster relief fund to help these people, with the help of the provincial government. Here’s how it works. The city council will consider a resolution next week asking the province for disaster relief. If the province agrees to that, the provincial government would then have to match any private donations to the disaster fund. And Burlington says its residents who were hit by the flood need the help badly.

As the extent of the thunderstorm disaster in Burlington sinks in, even the mayor is struggling with the emotion of the moment.

Rick Goldring, Burlington Mayor: “This is emotional for a lot of people. I do want to conclude with the fact that what is inspiring despite the fact that people have been devastated so many people are coming together and helping each other.”

The official number of homes swamped by Monday night’s storm now stands at 15 hundred and 78 — although it’s still climbing and the mayor says it could top two thousand.

In many cases, the damage is in the tens of thousands of dollars. In some cases over 100 thousand dollars, like Juke Bauer’s home.

Juke Bauer, Burlington resident: “I want to say how grateful I am that I live in Burlington. Outpouring, remarkable. Complete strangers. Here’s a banana bread what else can I do?”

The city says her case is like many others. She had flood insurance but it only pays ten thousand dollars — when the damage to her home could be much more.

Juke Bauer: “It’s not liveable. The damage is between 100 and 150 thousand. But it doesn’t matter to the insurance company because our cap is ten thousand dollars.”

Aimee Thomas: “So, our whole basement was like the panelling so we had to rip this off.”

Same with Aimee Thomas. A ten thousand dollar insurance cap.

Aimee Thomas: “We’re living in a nightmare and we’re a young family whose living off of pretty much one income right now. And we’re very thankful for what we have but we did really need help. Monetary help, gift card help, any type of help that can provide us we are willing to take. We have gotten to that point.”

Gary Carr, Halton Region Chair: “What we want to do today is to start to raise some money to help the people including the people here today.”

The United Way of Burlington & Greater Hamilton  will raise money for a fund residents can apply to.

The city and Halton region are also appealing to the insurance companies to be flexible.

Mayor Goldring: “Because insurance companies, a lot of them, are going by the letter of the law. We ask that they be flexible and be as helpful as they can to help people. This is extreme circumstances.”

Burlington’s MPP says the province will be listening to the request for disaster relief once it’s made. As for the damage, officials say right now it stands at about ten million dollars — most of that among individual homeowners. But it could higher as well.