DFA provides a maximum of up to $240K for private residences, farms, small business and non-profit organizations ($300K - 20% deductible)

DFA is a program of last resort and is meant to re-establish a basic standard of living and operations, recognizing that claimants must share in the cost of recovery. Not all emergencies or disasters will result in a DFA program being established.

Manitobans are encouraged to always check with insurance providers to see what coverage is available.

Manitoba EMO staff will work with you so that you understand the amount of assistance that is available to you.

Yes. A standard 20% deductible will be applied to your DFA award amount for all DFA eligible costs.

The DFA program has a two-step appeal process for claimants who feel that they didn't receive the appropriate amount of assistance.

The first step in the appeal process is an internal review by the Director of Recovery and Mitigation. In requesting an internal review, you must clearly state the grounds on which you wish to appeal the amount of assistance you received.

If you are unsatisfied with the results of your internal review, you may request a second stage appeal hearing. Second stage appeal hearings are conducted by a third party review board called the Manitoba Disaster Assistance Appeal Board (MDAAB). The board is an independent body separate from Manitoba EMO. The request must be made to MDAAB, not Manitoba EMO.

Please contact Manitoba EMO for additional information on this process.

• April 1 to May 20, 2023: Event Dates - damages/losses incurred from flooding between these dates are included in the 2023 Spring Flood DFA Program
• October 30, 2023: Deadline to Apply
• July 31, 2024: Program Closure Deadline - repairs must be complete and required documents must be submitted to Manitoba EMO no later than July 31, 2024

If you have any questions about your claim, please contact your Recovery Advisor at 204-945-3050, toll-free at 1-888-267-8298 during regular office hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Please have your claim number ready when you call. You can also contact us by email at [email protected]. Include your claim number in the subject line of the email.

When a natural disaster occurs, the Manitoba government may declare the event eligible for Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA). A DFA program helps Manitobans recover by providing financial assistance for uninsurable losses. DFA programs are established on a case-by-case basis when a natural disaster has a defined start and end date and causes the following:

• The disruption of essential goods and services
• Damages to essential infrastructure
• Widespread damage to property or the environment
• Significant financial burden

Manitoba EMO works as quickly as possible to assess the damages from an event. During the disaster, municipalities and the public are often occupied with response activities or disaster sites may be inaccessible. As the response phase winds down, we are able to gather better information to determine whether the three DFA program criteria are met.

No, you can complete an application for DFA, even if a program has not been initiated.

You can apply online, download a PDF application form (Adobe required) or contact EMO to have an application mailed to you. You can also get an application from your municipal office.

Your application does not guarantee that you will receive assistance or that a DFA program will be established. A DFA program is initiated following a significant event in which damage is widespread, mostly uninsurable and represents a significant financial burden to those impacted. Submitting your application will help Manitoba EMO understand how big the disaster is.

Flooded basements can happen and often without warning. You can learn how to prevent or limit water damage and what to do if water floods your home by visiting the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s website and clicking on ‘Disaster.’ Here you will find resources to prepare for all disasters, including water, wind, fire and ice.

There are a number of things you can do to prepare for water-related damage, such as not storing important documents in the basement, keeping a detailed home inventory, preparing home emergency supplies and an emergency go kit, and having a family emergency plan in place. For resources to assist you with preparing, refer to Emergency Management for Individuals.

The Institute of Catastrophic Loss Reduction publishes procedures for proper installation of backwater valves. The information is relevant for homes serviced by underground, public sewer systems, typically located in urban areas.

Complete an application for disaster financial assistance, even if a program has not been established. You can apply online, download a PDF, or contact EMO to have an application mailed to you. Some municipalities also keep DFA applications at the municipal office.

Other important things you need to do are:

• Take pictures of the damages and any repairs you make
• Keep detailed records of any repairs (invoices for labour, materials, contracted work, etc.)
• Contact your insurance provider to verify whether the damages are eligible for insurance. If a DFA program is established, you will need to have your insurance provider complete an Insurance Declaration Form
• Have available your most recent property tax bill (for a residential claim)
• Have available a complete copy of your income tax return for last year (for a small business/farm claim)

Thank you for submitting an application for DFA. Upon submitting your application you will receive confirmation that it has been received. Your application does not guarantee that you will receive assistance or that a DFA program will be established. A DFA program is initiated following a significant event in which damage is widespread, mostly uninsurable and represents a significant financial burden to those impacted.

You may receive a call asking for additional information regarding the nature of the event and the damage to your property. Once a determination has been made regarding whether a DFA program will be established for the event in question, you will be notified of the decision and in the case that a program has been established, you will be informed whether your situation is eligible for DFA assistance.

No, you do not need to wait for an inspection before you begin to clean up or repair your damaged property.

To be considered for DFA assistance, you must document your damages, clean up and repairs as they occur by:

• Taking pictures of your damages and repairs (including items that are damaged and disposed of).
• Recording your actions. Be sure to include the number of hours that you worked, the individual who performed the work, a description of the work that was performed, and the equipment that was used (including make, model and horsepower where applicable).
• Saving and submitting your receipts and proof of payment (i.e. debit or credit slips) for replaced items and rented equipment. Avoid using cash for purchases as this method of payment cannot be easily verified.

Keeping proper records is essential to ensure that you receive all of the assistance you are eligible for. If you dispose of items or repair items without taking pictures and keeping records/receipts, you may not receive assistance for these items. Please contact Manitoba EMO if you have any questions about this process.

Staff from Manitoba EMO will contact you to conduct a screening. Screening calls are used to gather more information about the damages that you have experienced and to answer any questions that you may have.

During your screening call, Manitoba EMO will advise you of the mandatory documents you will need to submit in order to support your claim.

After the screening call, your application is reviewed for eligibility. If your application is accepted into a DFA program, an in-person inspection will be scheduled with Manitoba EMO. The information gathered in your inspection will be used to help determine the amount of assistance that is available to you.

When an evacuation is ordered by an authorized government official, these mandatory evacuation costs, like temporary housing, food and other essential items up to a pre-determined maximum are eligible if you were required to be evacuated for more than 30 days. Costs associated with voluntary evacuations are NOT eligible. Factsheet about Evacuation Assistance through the DFA Program.

In general, shoreline erosion is not eligible for DFA. There are exceptions; however. If you have existing erosion protection or stabilization on your property, such as wooden bulwarks, rip rap, placed-boulder embankments or concrete walls that are damaged by erosion during a DFA event, repair of these may be eligible for DFA. Contact Manitoba EMO for more information.

Livestock losses are DFA eligible if insurance could not be purchased. A veterinary certificate is required to verify that the losses were a direct result of the event. The assistance amount will be determined using the same valuation method as the Wildlife Damage Compensation program administered by the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC).

If private property was damaged by municipal equipment during clean-up and recovery work, you must contact your municipality to either make the repairs or repay you for the damages. These expenses are not assisted with through private claims under the DFA program.

For private residents,the removal of downed trees is eligible for DFA as part of the assistance amount paid for debris removal on your property. There is a maximum amount of assistance for debris clean-up and it is based on the size of your property.

Tree removal will only be assisted with if the trees pose a safety concern on your land and will not be assisted with if the trees are in a wooded area or a remote location on your property and are determined not to be a safety concern. The removal of standing but damaged trees that pose a safety concern may also be eligible for DFA. Stump removal is not eligible for DFA as stumps are not considered debris.

Generally, landscaping costs other than debris clean up are not eligible for Disaster Financial Assistance.

There are a few exceptions; however. Landscaping may be eligible if landscape standards are required by local authority or development by-law. In addition, if government disaster-mitigation efforts resulted in damage to your property’s landscaping, financial assistance may be available. If this is the case for you, contact Manitoba EMO.

Farms buildings are considered on a case-by-case basis under the DFA program. Since insurance is often readily and reasonably available for farm buildings, they are typically ineligible for DFA whether insurance was purchased or not.

Many insurance providers in Manitoba are now offering overland flood insurance products to Manitobans.

Manitobans should inquire with an insurance broker on which insurance companies offer overland flood insurance for their specific property.
Insurance will provide greater coverage and more assistance than a DFA program.

The DFA program does not provide assistance where insurance was available.

Yes, if one or more quarter sections that you rent have been damaged by an event you may be eligible for assistance for their repair.

To include these properties on your DFA claim you need to submit:

• property tax assessments for each damaged quarter section; and
• a signed and witnessed Farmland Owners Authorization Form (to be completed by the property owner) which gives the renter permission to repair the affected property and send the invoices and repair costs to the DFA program.

No, only damages to your primary residence are eligible for DFA. A cottage or cabin is considered a secondary residence.

If your building is eligible for DFA, the amount of assistance available for your damaged building is based on the amount of damaged caused by the event, limited to no greater than the assessed value of the structure as seen on your most recent property tax assessment. Claims for primary residences, farms, small businesses and non-profits are capped at $300,000 minus a 20% deductible.

Damages that are considered insurable are not generally eligible for assistance. DFA cannot be used to assist you with repair costs that exceed your insurance payout. Damages that are uninsurable or are caused by both an insurable and uninsurable hazard may still be eligible for some assistance through a DFA program.

Manitoba EMO staff will work with you to fully understand the extent of your damages and advise you on what damages are eligible for DFA.

A number of Canadian insurers now offer residential overland flood insurance, which, along with seepage and back-up or escape of water/sewage coverage, helps reduce the financial risk of flooding events. These products may be added to home insurance policies for an additional premium.

Manitobans should inquire with an insurance broker on which insurance companies offer overland flood insurance for their specific property.

Insurance will provide greater coverage and more assistance than a DFA program.

The DFA program does not provide assistance where insurance was available.

We recommend reaching out to your insurance broker for information about your insurance policies and additional coverage that may be recommended for your property. In addition, the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) has a consumer information centre that can assist residents who have general insurance questions, including during severe weather events. IBC is available virtually at 1-844-2ask-IBC (1-844-227-5422) or by email.