Grants offered to Brantford, Ont. residents months after flooding

Two months after a torrential downpour caused flood damage in southern Ontario, disaster restoration companies are still working on repairs in the City of Brantford.

Now, the city is also offering some help in the form of ‘compassion grants.’

On July 16, three-and-a-half feet of water flooded Janet Kerr’s basement. She says her couches and appliances are all garbage now.

Brantford resident, Janet Kerr, is waiting on approval for her grant plus claims through her insurance company to help with her flooding repairs costs. (Submitted: Janet Kerr)“I finally said, ‘the heck with it’ and I took whatever money I had left in my savings account and I went and bought a washer and dryer because I can't deal with it anymore,” she told CTV News.

Kerr isn’t alone. Two months later, trailers from restoration companies are still visible around the city’s north end.

The city is offering two grants to residents impacted by the flooding. One offers $3,000 to help with basement clean up and damage repair. The other offers up to $5,000 to pay for measures to prevent futureflooding, including the installation of a sump pump or a check valve which is what Kerr recently installed under her front lawn.

"It saves from having your basement torn up and it prevents water from coming in through the street storm sewer in your house again,’ said Brantford Ward 4 Coun., Richard Carpenter. “It gives you so much relief knowing that if you finish your basement and something happens on the road, they are not going to come and dig your basement up. They can fix it right here.”

Carpenter says the grant money is coming straight from the City of Brantford.

“Council has a priority reserve fund so a certain percentage of surplus each year goes into the account: the priority reserve fund. That’s a fund that needs two-thirds of council support to vote on and the reason we do that is that so if there’s an issue like this that all of council realizes is important to do something about, then we can.”

Carpenter admits the grant application process can be a little confusing.

“If you’re having difficulty with your grant application, call your councillor, they'll give you a hand,” he said.

“I applied for it, it's a process but now I just wait and see what happens,” said Kerr.

She is now waiting on approval for her grant plus claims through her insurance company.

“It's a huge strain and I am a senior and I am a pensioner.”

You can apply to the two grants here.

For tips on how to prevent flooding, you can visit the city’s website.