AUMA seeking further information on Disaster Recovery Program changes

Last Friday, the Government of Alberta announced changes to the Disaster Recovery Program (DRP), which will affect municipalities and property owners.

While conditions for eligibility remain the same for qualifying applicants, the following cost-sharing arrangements and funding limits have been added to the program:

• Local Authority and private sector applicants (including homeowners):
  • DRP assistance is now limited to 90 per cent of eligible disaster expenses, instead of 100 per cent.
  • The remaining 10 per cent of eligible assistance will be subtracted from the amount payable to the applicant. No payment to the program will be required.
• Homeowners only:
  • The province is implementing a funding limit of up to $500,000 per homeowner application.
  • For disaster events that occur in 2021 onward, qualifying homeowner applicants will only be able to access DRP assistance once per property address. Financial assistance from the program will not be provided to future applicants who own property at the same physical location.
  • Homeowner addresses that receive DRP assistance will be posted online to the Government of Alberta website.
  • The one-time funding limit is not cumulative. For example, if an applicant has received $100,000 worth of assistance under the new policy, they would not qualify for any funding in the future.
  • This change will not be applied retroactively. If a homeowner has received assistance before 2021, this does not count as meeting the one-time assistance limit.

Further information on the Disaster Recovery Program and the Alberta Disaster Assistance Guidelines can be found at www.alberta.ca/drp.

AUMA is following up with the province to seek more details on the program changes and assess the potential impacts on municipalities and property owners.