The Saskatchewan government has so far paid out $7.6 million in disaster assistance rlated to summer storms, and officials expect that amount to climb into the tens of millions.
“As of today, we’ve signed off over 190 communities and parks in terms of their designation as disaster areas and that number continues to grow, but obviously not at the same rate as it had,” said Tom Young, executive director of protection and emergency services.
“That translates to about 3,500 claims that we’ve received.”
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Claims continue to come in at the rate of 50 to 100 per day, he said, suggesting it could amount to more than $40 million in damages province-wide.
Mieka Torgrimson, acting director of Saskatchewan Emergency Measures Organization, said the number is hard to pin down because the government isn’t tracking insurable losses such as sewer backup.
The Provincial Disaster Assistance Program covers uninsurable losses.
She said PDAP is helping claimants with essential loss to their principal residences to restore them to pre-disaster condition.
Agricultural claims include erosion, essential fencing, emergency transportation of livestock and emergency feeding.
Young said adjusters have seen erosion and loss of access roads, as well as damage to farm buildings.
The 3,500 claims include: 555 in Maple Creek and area, 945 in Yorkton, 208 in North Battleford, 666 in Saskatoon, and the remainder in other areas.
In Maple Creek, structural engineers are still working about 100 files that could inflate damage estimates.
Young said in most years the average claim is $3,000 but that will change this year.
There have been 2,281 payments made, but that number includes people who received more than one cheque for various reasons.
