This release was issued under a previous government.
“Since we introduced our flood mitigation program to protect homeowners from future floods a few weeks ago, some common questions have been raised,” said Rick Fraser, Associate Minister of Regional Recovery and Reconstruction. “We’ve heard Albertans loud and clear and have taken their feedback to adjust the policy.”
A ‘location notice’ on land titles to identify all properties in the province that are in a floodway or flood fringe is no longer planned. The province is working with the real estate industry to identify other ways consumers can receive the flood-related information they will need to inform home purchases. Future buyers can also check the property on the flood mapping hazard website.
Plans for a ‘Disaster Recovery Program notice’ have not changed. This notice will be placed on the land title of properties where future flood-related disaster eligibility is at stake. It will simply state that funding was received. For property owners in the flood fringe, the notice will be removed from the land title once minimum mitigation requirements have been met. For property owners in a floodway, the notice will remain on the land title if Disaster Recovery Program funding was provided to inform future owners that no additional funding will be available in future floods.
Minor modifications to the existing minimum individual mitigation measures have also been made to simplify the rebuilding process for Albertans. These standards are designed to minimize basement damage resulting from future floods. Additional funding is available through the Disaster Recovery Program for homeowners to meet these requirements.
“We want to help property owners get their homes back to normal as quickly as possible while ensuring the property is protected from future floods,” said Associate Minister Fraser. “These changes will make mitigation easier and more efficient.”
Details on land title notices and minimum individual flood mitigation measures can be found in the backgrounder or at Alberta.ca.
Our government was elected to keep building Alberta, to live within its means and to fight to open new markets for Alberta’s resources. We will continue to deliver the responsible change Albertans voted for.
Backgrounder: Frequently asked questions
Media inquiries may be directed to:
Kathleen Range
Press Secretary, Municipal Affairs
780-221-5805 (cell)
@KathleenRange
Backgrounder
August 16, 2013FAQs for updated Alberta flood recovery policies
What are the minor modifications that were made to the existing minimum individual mitigation measures?
Modifications to the minimum mitigation policy include:
- Expanding the choices to safely disconnect power by installing an outdoor service disconnect switch between the meter and the main household panel. This switch may be located on the exterior of the building or the garage.
- Expanding the choices for acceptable basement finish materials to include disposable materials for ease of repair.
Future home buyers can check the property on the flood mapping hazard website.
In addition, the Government of Alberta will work with the real estate sector to share flood mapping information with prospective buyers.
If a home that received Disaster Recovery Program funding following the recent floods is rebuilt in a floodway or if the minimum mitigation measures in the flood fringe are not met, a notice will stay on the land title stating that funding was received and the property will not be eligible for future flood-related disaster program funding.
When will the Disaster Recovery Program notice on the land title be removed?
The Disaster Recovery Program funding notice will be removed from land titles when it is certified that the requisite flood mitigation measures have been made in the flood fringe. Homes that no longer have a notification on their land title will be eligible for future flood-related Disaster Recovery Program funding.
If a property is located in a floodway and received Disaster Recovery Program funding as a result of damages caused by the recent floods, the Disaster Recovery Program funding notice remains on the land title so that future homebuyers are aware that funding was received so the property is not eligible for future provincial program funding.
Property-owners who received an advance Disaster Recovery Program payment may return the payment in order to avoid the Disaster Recovery Program notice.
Media inquiries may be directed to:
Kathleen Range
Press Secretary, Municipal Affairs
780-221-5805 (cell)
@KathleenRange