Today, Hamilton City Council approved the Proposed Residential Municipal Disaster Relief Assistance Program for Basement Flooding.

The following Proposed Residential Municipal Disaster Relief Assistance Program for Basement Flooding was approved at City Council on August 9th, 2006:

a) That a Residential Municipal Disaster Relief Assistance Program be established to provide residents with a compassionate grant in an amount not to exceed $750.00 for Basement Flooding resulting from a severe rain storm;

b) That payment of such claims be based on compassionate grounds only and not to be construed as an admission of liability on the part of the City of Hamilton;

c) That the Eligibility Criteria for the Residential Municipal Disaster Relief Assistance Program as set out in Appendix A to report FCS06007 be approved as amended;

(i) That Appendix A to report FCS06007 respecting the Residential Municipal Disaster Relief Assistance Program for basement Flooding be amended by adding the following section to Page 2: Limitations

Applications for a compassionate grant under the Residential Municipal Disaster Relief Assistance Program must be received by the City and/or its agent no later than 4 months (120 days) from the date that the event was declared a disaster by City Council. Only one application for each residential property is eligible except where the property is occupied by a tenant in which case the owner may also be eligible

d) That a Residential Municipal Disaster Relief Program Reserve be established at a balance of $1.5 million to be funded equally from the Waterworks, Sanitary Sewer and Storm Reserves;

e) That City Council declare the severe rain storm events of July 26, 2005, August 19, 2005 and July 10, 2006, July 27, 2006 (Waterdown flooding) for all affected properties within the boundaries of the City of Hamilton, as Disasters for the purpose of the Residential Municipal Disaster Relief Assistance Program; and

f) That staff be authorized to retain an independent adjuster for the administration of claims under the Residential Municipal Disaster Relief Assistance Program and that these administrative costs be funded from the reserve.

Application forms are available through Cunningham Lindsey Canada Ltd.(905-667-3157) or our office.