This release was issued under a previous government.
Workers prepare the banks of the newly constructed West Town Dike in High River for grass seeding
The report highlights flood recovery efforts, mitigation work that will make the province more resilient to future flooding and the work that is planned for the future.
“It’s remarkable to see how far we have come as a province in just one year. From the initial response to the current recovery, we’ve made incredible progress rebuilding Alberta communities.”
In addition to being the biggest natural disaster in Canadian history, the 2013 flood is also the most expensive disaster in Canadian history with the estimated total cost of the event being approximately $6 billion.
In 2013-14, the Alberta government spent about $3 billion on flood response and recovery through its Disaster Recovery Program (DRP) and other vehicles, and has committed in Budget 2014 more than $1 billion more over the next three years to continue recovery and mitigation work.
The Alberta government anticipates that approximately $1.4 billion will be eligible for reimbursement funding from the federal government’s Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA), which funds disaster-related costs. This is about $1 billion less than originally anticipated because of lower-than-expected costs related to the DRP and decisions made by the Alberta government in support of Albertans affected by the flood, even though some costs incurred were outside the parameters of the DFAA.
“The Alberta government’s strong fiscal plan allowed us to meet the needs of Albertans affected by the flood comprehensively and in a responsible manner. For example, the government offered rental assistance to flood victims beyond the six-month limit funded by the DFAA because we recognized the challenges of the rental markets in affected communities, and because it was the right thing to do.”
In addition, the Alberta government anticipates receiving about $200 million from the federal government for Albertans living on reserves.
The Alberta government is also demonstrating its commitment to transparency by releasing a list of all third-party contracts related to flood-recovery efforts valued at more than $50,000.
Under the Building Alberta Plan, our government is investing in families and communities, living within our means, and opening new markets for Alberta's resources to ensure we're able to fund the services Albertans told us matter most to them. We will continue to deliver the responsible change Albertans voted for.