July 17th of this year a storm and flash flood shocked the city. The storm made for an incredible spectacle and some strange sights on city streets:
"In one unique case, police were called to a motorboat being driven in the south end of the city near 89 Avenue just after midnight. The boater, who said he was a business owner concerned about the condition of his business, was loading his boat onto a trailer when police arrived. He was warned about operating a boat on the streets of Grande Prairie but not charged."
It also left many homes and businesses with uninsurable damages. Immediately afterwards the city and other local agencies went to work collecting the data that the Province would need to decide if this storm qualified as a "Once in 100 Years" event. It did and so the Province has launched the "2007 Grande Prairie and Area Disaster Recovery Program".
From the Municipal Affairs media release:
"The 2007 Grande Prairie and Area Disaster Recovery Program ($700,000) includes the City and County of Grande Prairie and includes all municipalities that reside within the county. Damage occurred following a severe hail and rainstorm on July 17, which resulted in overland flooding throughout the area ...
Disaster recovery programs cover damage for which insurance is not readily and reasonably available. For example, insurance policies traditionally cover damage from causes such as sewer backup and hail; however, insurance coverage is not available for flooding resulting from water entering through basement windows. The programs include funds for municipalities, homeowners and small businesses, with the majority of the funds going to municipalities for infrastructure damage, emergency costs, etc."
For answers to some important questions for those looking to make claims check out the full release here.
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