A $500 cheque will be in the mail to people who have applied for disaster financial assistance, Premier Wab Kinew says.
Anyone who has started the application process for disaster financial assistance following flooding in Manitoba will get a $500 advance payment, the premier said at a flood briefing Friday.
“We have our finance department and EMO working through the weekend to put money into your hand,” Kinew said from the Manitoba Legislative Building.
Kinew and Christine Stevens, the director of Manitoba’s Emergency Management Organization, held a media briefing Friday afternoon about widespread flooding in western Manitoba, particularly in the Parkland region.
People affected can start flood repairs, provided they document the process with photos and make sure they have what they need for their application, Kinew said.
“You can order building materials that might go into repairs. You can start talking to contractors and getting those home repairs done asap.”
Kinew also announced the province is setting aside $15 million to match donations made by people wanting to help.
Donations can be made to the Canadian Red Cross, which will administer the program, and the provincial government will match those donations, the premier said.
That program will be open to people who don’t qualify for disaster financial assistance, he said.
“This will be open to folks who’ve applied to DFA in the flood-impacted regions, but the existing criteria for accessing DFA benefits won’t apply to the money that’s being raised.”
The Red Cross will also be in the Swan Valley region this week to provide help with personal recovery planning. It will help people figure out how to manage their finances, repairs, accommodations and mental health needs, Kinew said.
1 week after Kinew visit to Parkland, some flood-impacted residents still in dark about provincial aid
Team Rubicon, a military veteran-led humanitarian organization that responds to natural disasters, is also on the ground in the Swan Valley region and will be going door to door to see where there’s need, Kinew said.
There will be five teams of 25 people rotating through the region, the premier said, and they’ll be working in the area until Aug. 19.
They already have 81 requests for help and expect that number to increase.
“Help is here. More help is coming,” Kinew promised.
