Flood relief finally coming for Ottawa families
Canada Day was unfortunately cut short for many families across Ottawa after record-breaking rainfall caused widespread flooding and damage.
The impact of the devastating Canada Day storm has been significant across Ottawa. The City of Ottawa has identified the storm as a 1 in 200-year weather event, with rainfall totals ranging from 15 mm at Trim Road in the east end to 167 mm at Britannia Station in the west end. As of July 15th, more than 7000 residents contacted 311, over 6000 flooded basements were reported, about 100 residents were displaced from their homes, 30,000 residents were impacted by power outages, and more than 2600 tonnes of storm-related debris have been collected from the hardest-hit areas.
As many of you already know, on July 3rd, I joined my Ottawa Liberal colleagues and local City Councillors to urge the Ford government to immediately deploy the Provincial Disaster Assessment Team to assess the damage caused by the storm. This assessment is an important first step in determining whether impacted residents can access the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO) program, which can provide eligible families, small businesses, farmers and organizations with up to $250,000 in financial relief as they recover from the terrible impacts of the storm. I also personally reached out to Minister Rob Flack, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, whose Ministry is responsible for managing the DRAO program.
It’s also deeply disappointing that no provincial Ministers have visited Ottawa to see the damage firsthand. Being on the ground is essential to understanding the full impact of the storm and ensuring our community receives the support it deserves.
Almost THREE weeks after the storm, the Ford government has finally confirmed that the DRAO program will be activated in certain parts of the city.
Here is a coverage map of the areas that are eligible for provincial support.
Residents impacted by the flooding who live in the highlighted yellow area on the map are able to apply for financial relief through the DRAO program now. The application deadline is November 16th, 2026. For more information, please click here.
There are certain parts of our city that were severely impacted by the floods, such as Crystal Beach and parts of Nepean, that are currently not eligible for any support. This might change as assessments are still being finalized by the province.
Of course, any financial relief from the provincial government is welcome news for Ottawa residents impacted by the flooding, but it shouldn’t have taken three weeks for the government to confirm that the DRAO would be activated. While residents were focused on cleaning up, rebuilding, and navigating the emotional and financial toll of the storm, they were left in limbo for almost two weeks as they waited for the government to confirm whether financial relief would be available. And for the many residents already facing issues with their insurance companies, this delay from the government just added another layer of stress during an already challenging time.
The Red Cross helping Ottawa families recover from the storm
The Canadian Red Cross is working with the City of Ottawa and other community partners to support Ottawa residents impacted by the severe flooding.
The Red Cross has distributed clean-up kits, teddy bears and personalized recovery support to impacted residents. And this week, they launched the 2026 Ottawa Floods Appeal campaign where they will be collecting donations to further support impacted communities across the city.
Those impacted by the floods can access support from the Red Cross by emailing them at NavigationSupportON@redcross.ca or leaving a voicemail at 1-800-863-6582 (your call will be returned within two days).
If you are able to, please consider donating and encourage others to donate to the 2026 Ottawa Floods Appeal campaign here. More information can be found here.
I also encourage those impacted by the floods to explore other support programs, including the Compassionate Grant program, provided by the City of Ottawa here.
Still no financial relief after 2022 derecho in Eastern Ontario
In April, during a debate on the 2026 provincial budget, I rose in the Legislature to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness why his Ministry and government have failed to provide any financial relief to the residents of rural Eastern Ontario who were severely impacted by the devastating wind storm in May 2022. This government has completely neglected impacted homeowners, small businesses and farmers.
The 2026 provincial budget had absolutely no financial support for residents of rural Eastern Ontario impacted by the devastating derecho in May 2022.
As always, the government always finds buckets of money to support residents of Southwestern Ontario and Toronto, but never seems to have enough money to help rural Eastern Ontarians even in times of serious desperation.