CALGARY (Staff) – Property damage caused by southern Alberta’s spring flood may ultimately reach $60 million.
Last June, flood waters from the Oldman, Bow and South Saskatchewan rivers, and their tributaries, tore a band of destruction across the south from Pincher Creek to Medicine Hat, wiping out homes, businesses and farms.
Alberta Transportation and Utilities, in charge of the provincial disaster recovery program, reported 2,744 municipal, small business and residential claims were received by the Sept. 15 deadline. On the agricultural side, 695 claims were made, for a total cost of about $3.5 million.
Read Also
Key actions identified to address canola tariffs
Federal and Saskatchewan governments discuss next steps with industry on Chinese tariffs
The most recent disaster services summary showed the largest number of claims came from Standoff at 885. Medicine Hat residents living by the South Saskatchewan River submitted 583 claims and High River turned in 251 claims. Pincher Creek had 227.
Not all covered
Of those claims, 1,033 have already been paid and another 353 were refused because of ineligibility.
The program did not cover insurable property including machinery, tools and livestock losses, said Grant Clarke of the disaster recovery office.
Maximum payouts are $100,000, although not all claims will be accepted because the damages can be paid through personal insurance policies, Clarke said.
Average payouts are between $5,000 to $7,000. Costs will be shared between the federal and provincial governments with Ottawa paying 75 to 80 percent of the total costs for the disaster.
In instances where rivers changed their course, no effort will be made to divert waterways back to original riverbeds.
“It’s not a wise use of taxpayer money to argue with nature,” said Clarke.
For the Municipal District of Pincher Creek, clean-up costs are still being calculated. Public works manager Norm Minchau said 20 bridges were washed out and a few paved secondary roads were lost. About 60 percent of the clean-up operation is complete with plans to finish most repairs by winter.
Telephone, gas and electrical companies are still restoring utilities to some areas because underground cables were washed away. Large pieces of driftwood and other plant debris remain tangled along riverbanks and will be cleaned up by landowners.
Anyone needing further information should call the disaster recovery office at 403-381-5776 or 310-0000.
