Table of contents

Program changes

From 2021 onwards, all Disaster Recovery Program (DRP) applications for assistance are subject to the following:

  • $500,000 maximum assistance per homeowner application
  • a one-time limit on accessing DRP assistance per homeowner property address:
    • The limit is applied to the property address only and does not follow the applicant if they move.
  • a cost-sharing ratio between the Government of Alberta and applicants, which is 90% for the Government of Alberta and 10% for applicants
    • The 10% will be deducted from the applicants' total eligible DRP assistance.
    • No out-of-pocket payments will be required from applicants.

For more information, read the Changes to the Disaster Recovery Program fact sheet before you apply.

Overview

The DRP provides financial assistance to help restore uninsurable property that is lost or damaged by a disaster to its basic, pre-disaster functional condition.

The DRP provides financial assistance as a last resort to assist those affected by a disaster. You must access your own insurance options and any other available sources of assistance first.

When insurance is readily and reasonably available at the time of a disaster event, costs associated with insurable loss and damage are not eligible for DRP assistance. When someone has chosen to not insure their property adequately, they will not be eligible to receive DRP assistance.

For information on what disasters and perils are considered covered by insurance, visit Insurable disasters.

Insurable perils

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have adequate insurance to protect your home or business. The DRP is a funder of last resort, and it only provides assistance for damage, loss and costs caused by perils that are considered uninsurable by the Alberta Emergency Management Agency.

The Alberta Emergency Management Agency considers a peril as ‘insurable’ if insurance was:

  • readily available from a wide range of insurers
  • reasonably priced compared to the level of risk

If the individual or local authority did not have insurance in place for that peril, it is not eligible for DRP assistance. The DRP does not consider uninsurable components of insurable perils. It is important to talk with your insurer about these perils and to confirm you are covered.

For more information, read tips for buying adequate property insurance for insurable perils in Alberta.

Insurable perils

Overland flooding

Insurance for overland flooding is not considered reasonably and readily available. Therefore, it is eligible for DRP assistance.

Insurance for the perils below is available. Therefore, they are not eligible for DRP assistance.

Peril/Hazard Type Insurance (Peril Insurable/Ineligible for DRP)
Fires and wildfires Insurance for fire is available and included in most policies.
Sewer back-up Insurance for sewer back-up is available. Under most insurance policies, this is a supplementary, add-on coverage which must be requested.
Wind events (includes gusts and tornadoes) Insurance for wind events including gusts and tornadoes is available.
Land movements (includes earthquakes, avalanches, sinkholes, erosion, landslides and mudslides) As an add-on endorsement, insurance is readily and reasonably available in Alberta for damages caused by land movements. It can include damage from fire and explosions caused by land movements.
Snow and ice events Insurance for snow and ice events is available.
Pandemics Insurance for pandemics is covered under typical business interruption insurance policies and is widely available.
Drought Insurance for agricultural operations is available for annual and perennial crops, as well as honey, bee overwintering, fencing, tame pastures and livestock.
Hail Insurance for hail is available for property, including vehicles, homes, buildings and crops.

2022 Approved programs

The following communities have been approved for disaster recovery financial assistance to help residents, businesses and not-for-profit organizations recover from uninsurable loss and damages from flooding events that occurred in 2022.

  • Mackenzie County and Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement
    • Apply for disaster recovery assistance if your home or business experienced loss and damage due to overland flooding that occurred around May 9, 2022.
    • The deadline to apply for the DRP is June 15, 2023.
  • Clearwater County
    • Apply for disaster recovery assistance if your home or business experienced loss and damage due to overland flooding that occurred around June 13, 2022.
    • The deadline to apply for the DRP is June 15, 2023.
  • Town of Wainwright
    • Apply for disaster recovery assistance if your home or business experienced loss and damage due to overland flooding that occurred around July 7, 2022.
    • The deadline to apply for the DRP is June 15, 2023.

Steps to take following a disaster

Step 1. Take pictures of the damage

Take pictures of all damaged items inside and outside your property before throwing anything away or making any repairs.

Step 2. Contact your insurance company

Ask your insurer for a letter outlining your coverage and exclusions This is required as part of your application.

If you experience issues with your insurance provider or have concerns, call the Insurance Bureau of Canada at 1-844-227-5422 or visit them online.

You can also use the following resources if you are having issues with your insurance providers:

Step 3. Contact your local government

Find out if there are any supports available to you in the area. Ask about the potential for assistance and a DRP in your area.

Step 4. Begin clean-up and repair work

Contact your local government to ensure you have all the required building permits, authorizations and approvals in place for rebuilds or repairs. Repairs and rebuilds must meet current codes and regulations to be eligible for program assistance.

Wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE) when cleaning your property. Read Cleaning your home after a flood (PDF, 83 KB) for more information.

Step 5. Record all the time you spend cleaning and making repairs

Keep copies of all your receipts for clean up, repairs and replacement of damaged property.

Repairs are not required before submitting your application.

Step 6. Protect yourself financially

Review the following financial protection fact sheets:

How to apply

You can apply online or fill out an application.

Apply online

If you are a homeowner, tenant, small business, landlord, not-for-profit institution or agricultural operation, you will need an Alberta.ca Account – formerly called MyAlberta Digital Identity (MADI) – before you complete a DRP application for assistance online.

If you do not have an account, sign up on the Alberta.ca Account website.

Once your Alberta.ca Account is activated, visit the Disaster Financial Assistance Portal to apply.

If your application is for a property on a First Nation’s reserve, contact Indigenous Services Canada to discuss your application.

Fill out an application

Instead of applying online, you can:

  1. Complete a fillable PDF application form. (Use the proper one from the list below.)
  2. Email your completed form to [email protected].
  3. Irrigation districts must fill out a statement of loss and damage found below.

Irrigation districts may download and complete a Irrigation District application form (provided below) and email it to [email protected].

PDF form issues

Fillable PDF forms do not open properly on some mobile devices and web browsers. To fill in and save the form:

  1. Save the PDF form to your computer – click or right-click the link and download the form.
  2. Open the PDF form with Adobe Reader. Fill it in and save it.

If you are still having problems opening the form, contact PDF form technical support.

Preparing your application

The fact sheets below provide help when filling out your application:

Guidelines

Guidelines for DRPs approved in 2021 and beyond

Previous guidelines for DRPs

Resources

Contact

Connect with the Alberta Emergency Management Agency:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 1-888-671-1111
Email: [email protected]

Address:
Alberta Emergency Management Agency
5th Floor, Terrace Building
9515 107 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta  T5K 2C1

Related

Disaster assistance and recovery support

Emergency preparedness

Hazard preparedness

Health and safety advisories

Was this page helpful?

All fields are required unless otherwise indicated.

Your submissions are monitored by our web team and are used to help improve the experience on Alberta.ca.