Latest flood statistics from the government

Information released by the province earlier this month indicates that approximately 950 people were provided with long-term accommodations in neighbourhoods on Siksika First Nation and High River and an additional 850 people may be moving into temporary neighbourhoods shortly, depending on housing registry needs. Almost $70 million in immediate support was distributed through pre-loaded debit cards or cheques to 40,000 Albertans. The federal government responded in record time in approving disaster funding for the flood. While on average it takes 297 days from the time a province formally requests funding for the federal government to issue approval, the southern Alberta flood took only eight days. However, a Postmedia report says the province has yet to receive the approved dollars. An examination of the 30 disasters approved for funding since the Conservatives formed a majority government in May 2011 indicates that it took 642 days for the federal government to approve funding for spring 2011 flooding for the Siksika First Nation. That approval only came this spring. Under the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements program, the federal government could help cover as much as 90 per cent of the costs associated with a natural disaster if it’s believed the recovery would “place an undue burden on a provincial or territorial economy.”