Manitoba injects millions into flood measures

The Manitoba government plans tospend hundreds of millions of dollars on flood prevention plans that include emergency channels to divert water in two major lakes.

Leading hydro-technical and geotechnical firms AECOM and Manitobas KGS Group have been contracted to provide engineering advice and to work with provincial government engineers to "rapidly develop" the emergency relief channels on Lake Manitoba and Lake St. Martin, Premier Greg Selinger announced on Monday.

"Well work with the federal government to quickly implement feasible engineered options to lower water levels and give some much needed relief to hard hit communities," he said.

No date was given as to when the province hopes to begin work on thechannels, or where they will be located.

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But Emergency Measures Minister Steve Ashton said the government would be expediting a design processthat would normally taketwo or three years, and condensing itinto a few weeks.

Theprovinceis aiming to have the majority of the work done in time for the 2012 spring melt.

Provincial Water Stewardship director Steve Topping estimated thecost of the channels would be between $100 and $200 million.

That will put the total flood costs this year "north of $550 million," Selinger said.

The province will alsotest technologyto mitigate storm damage by implementing wave-breaking trial projects in the coming months, Selinger said.

Expanding permanent flood protection

The province is alsolaunching a $75-million flood-proofing initiative that will see homeowners, businesses and farms receive moneyto implement permanent flood protection, such asbuilding dikes or raising structures.

The program will provide support to cottage owners as well as permanent residents.

Property owners will be eligible for a contribution of 86 per cent toward projects up to $100,000 for homes, businesses and farms, and up to $40,000 for cottages.

Selinger expects the funding tosupport over 1,200 projects.

Financial assistance for families

The government is also increasing the financial assistance available under the Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) program to families whose homes have been damaged. Similarly,funding is being increasedunder the Lake Manitoba Financial Assistance Program.

Maximum payouts for primary residences are being increased to $240,000 under DFA and $270,000 under the Lake Manitoba program.

It is expected that funding will total approximately $45 million this year.

Property tax relief

Local municipalities that have seen their economic bases nearly wiped out due to the destruction of cottages and permanent residences along the lake are also getting help.

The province has promised tocover the2011 municipal and school taxes for families for the period of time from when their property was damaged through to the end of year.

Municipalities will be asked to identify flood-affected properties that qualify for this tax relief.

Thetax reliefprogram is expected to total approximately $2.3 million, Selinger said.

He also noted he has asked the provincial flood appeals commissioner to recommend guidelines for a fair and reasonable buyout program to deal with extreme cases where damage to property has been so severe that it is either physically impossible to rebuild or economically unfeasible to do so.

"With each flood, we take the time to learn from our experience with the water. This years flood is the largest in our recorded history and our approach will be no different," said Selinger.