The Mayor of Ritchot is calling it great news for municipalities in the flood zone. Chris Ewen says the province has announced a Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) program for municipalities impacted by spring flooding.

In the spring of 2019, provincial officials warned municipalities in the Red River Valley that significant flooding was possible. Ewen says Ritchot spent at least $130,000 to purchase sandbags, employ the services of their Emergency Coordinator and take the necessary measures to prepare for flooding. Earlier this year, Ewen said about $100,000 of that was for preventive measures, spent only because of the province's urging.

"Fortunately it didn't come but it's better to be prepared than underprepared, so we did go out and make sure that we were ready for the spring flood that we were told should be happening," he says.

From spring to fall, municipalities in the Red River Valley waited for word from the provincial government that they would be reimbursed for their efforts. There were at least three other municipalities that all spent more than Ritchot in spring. In the RM of Morris, the total was $150,000, while Emerson-Franklin reached $500,000 and Montcalm $1.5 million. Ewen says these municipalities banded together to push the government for a DFA program.

"When you are looking at municipalities that are spending literally millions of dollars to prepare for any kind of emergency or natural disaster, we need to stay banded together," says Ewen. "No matter if you are north, south, east or west, we need to be there for each other."

Then this week, the Rural Municipality of Ritchot received the letter it had been waiting for. Ewen says in announcing the DFA program, the province will be reimbursing Ritchot for all of its costs associated with this spring's flood.

"Great news for all the municipalities," says Ewen. "I'm very appreciative of the province and Premier Pallister for looking into this opportunity for us."

Meanwhile, Ewen admits that if the province had not come through with this DFA program, municipalities would probably have been less likely to listen to their flood cries in years to come.

"But now that we've had approval of this Disaster Financial Assistance, we know that the province will be there for us," says Ewen.

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Ritchot Still Waiting For Flood Compensation