YORKTON – Yorkton-Melville Member of Parliament Garry Breitkreuz says disaster funding for Fishing Lake flood victims is under active discussion between the provincial and federal governments.

Flooding at Fishing Lake has resulted in considerable hardship for many residents who are seeking emergency relief funding for damaged property. Breitkreuz contacted Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day personally and in writing to solicit an efficient and effective federal response.

“I witnessed the widespread destruction of property when I toured the area,” says Breitkreuz. “The onus is currently on the province to apply to the federal government for funding. It is a complex process that must take many things into account. Persons who have questions about disaster assistance should contact the province.”

Typically, when the cost of disaster response and recovery exceeds what a province or territory could be expected to bear on their own, Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) can provide federal government assistance. The DFAA provides financial support to the province or territory, but not directly to affected individuals, small businesses or communities. A request for DFAA funding is processed immediately following receipt of the required documentation of provincial/territorial expenditures and a review by federal auditors.

It is the province’s responsibility to design, develop and deliver disaster financial assistance, as well as decide the amounts and types of assistance that will be provided to those who have experienced losses.

“Some people affected by the flood have been contacting my office because they believe the federal government can furnish them with emergency funding, but this isn’t the case,” explains Breitkreuz. “About 80 per cent of the paperwork is the responsibility of the province. I am sensitive to the Fishing Lake victims’ predicament, but the ball is squarely in the province’s court.”

Some residents are hoping for a quick resolution to the flooding by having a channel dredged to redirect the water to nearby lakes, but officials are wary that it could harm the environment downstream. Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans experts are assessing the situation to determine what can be done to improve the situation in the short- and long-term.

Person seeking information on emergency funding eligibility for Fishing Lake should visit www.cps.gov.sk.ca/Safety/pdap/default.shtml on the Internet or contact the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program office at (306) 787-7800. Updated information on the flood can be found on the Internet at www.fishinglakeflood.ca/

- 30 -