The Saskatchewan government has changed its disaster assistance program to address concerns raised by people affected by summer floods.
Public safety minister Yogi Huyghebaert said residents identified several problems with the way the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP) worked.
He said sometimes it takes a disaster to show how a program does or doesn’t work.
“This program has been in place since the ’70s,” he said.
The changes include increasing the advance PDAP payment from 40 to 60 percent of the claim amount upon approval of the adjuster’s report, and increasing the maximum amount available.
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Principal residence claimants can now receive a maximum of $240,000, up from $160,000.
The maximum amount available to small businesses and farms went to $500,000 from $160,000.
The province has added more adjusters, as well as additional structural engineers for Maple Creek and Yorkton.
Four new structural engineering firms have been hired to conduct assessments of buildings in those two communities. Six firms are now working to determine which buildings should be repaired and which should be demolished.
City officials in Yorkton say 46 buildings must be inspected. In Maple Creek, government officials have recommended structural assessments for 67 homes and businesses.
“It’s pointless to put any money into a house if you don’t know if it’s structurally sound,” Huyghebaert said.
People had been complaining about the depreciation rates on drywall, furnaces, hot water heaters and concrete. Huyghebaert said those rates have been reduced to reflect the pre-disaster value of the items.
