Calgary police overtime during flood cost $3.6M

Besides huge costs for damaged property and lost business, officials revealed the flood disaster in June also left big overtime bills in its wake.

As Calgary coped with the flood and its aftermath, emergency workers were needed at all hours of the day in many areas of the city.

Now the cost of all the overtime hours logged by public workers is becoming clear.

"The overtime hours are about 30,000 approximately and about $3.6 million," said Calgary Police Commission chair Mike Shaikh.

"They came out to help us with the evacuation, watch over the restricted flood areas, protection of people and property. Traffic control was very important. We wanted to make sure that people were not going into restricted areas," he said.

The fire department expects to have its overtime numbers figured out by next month.

That tally is already included in the $20 million the City of Calgary estimates will have to be paid out.

Its expected the province will cover that amount.

The provincial government has said some flood-related overtime will likely be covered, but final numbers have not yet been submitted to them.