The City of Ottawa remains in a state of emergency for floods. It is advising property owners to keep sandbag walls in place until further notice.
The city has been in a heightened state of preparedness since Mayor Watson announced a state of emergency on April 25th. The Province of Ontario and the Canadian Armed Forces remain on the ground to assist with recovery efforts and help home and business owners deal with ongoing rain and high water levels. If you require help sandbagging or removing debris to keep your property safe, you can apply online. You may also be eligible for immediate financial relief.
Financial assistance for small businesses and farm owners is now available through the Ontario government’s Disaster Recovery Assistance Program.
The government of Canada has provided the Red Cross with a $2.5 million grant to support flood recovery efforts across the country. Federal Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale recognizes the ongoing precipitation in the Ottawa River corridor is likely to cause surrounding water levels to rise again, and says the federal government remains ready to assist.
If you wish to donate to assist home, business and farm owners in the flooded areas of the Ottawa valley, you can donate online. If your business plans on applying for financial assistance, you have until September 4, 2019.