Winnipeg, province offer basement flooding subsidy to keep homes dry

The city and province are hoping to keep more Winnipeg basements dry again this summer.

They are partnering again to offer the Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program.

It will pay up to 60 per cent of the cost of installing an in-line backwater valve, a sump pit drainage system, or both.

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The subsidy will pay 60 per cent of the invoiced cost, including eligible labour, materials, permit(s) and taxes, up to a maximum of:

• $1,000 for installing an in-line backwater valve only
• $2,000 for installing a sump pit drainage system only, or
• $3,000 for installing both an in-line backwater valve and a sump pit drainage system

The program is available on a first-come, first-serve basis to Winnipeg residents but it is also available outside the Perimeter Highway.

The province will pay half the cost of the program for participating municipalities, to a maximum of $500,000 in Winnipeg and $250,000 in rural Manitoba.

Officials said it has proven to be popular.

"Between 2011 and 2014, this program subsidized the cost of sewer/drain backup systems for 3,142 homes in Winnipeg and 281 homes in municipalities outside of Winnipeg," said Municipal Government Minister Drew Caldwell in a statement.

"We encourage other homeowners to protect property and reduce the risk of basement flooding, which can cause major damage and stress for residents."