A new review aimed at improving the province’s disaster financial assistance program recommends timelier municipal inspections following a disaster, as well as creating digital methods for people to submit documentation.
“When natural disasters strike, DFA helps Manitobans and municipalities recover while eliminating unreasonable financial burdens,” said Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler in a news release.
“By working together with municipalities on this review, we are ensuring the DFA program works best for Manitobans when they need it most.”
The province said the review was conducted in collaboration with the Association of Manitoba Municipalities and the Manitoba Municipal Administrators Association, and involved consultations with municipal and federal industry stakeholders.
Along with recommending timelier inspectors and digital submission methods, the review suggests:
- More training and information on the program in a variety of formats;
- Online access to check on submitted claims;
- Clear criteria for when the program is established.
“The recommendations in this report identify several opportunities to streamline the provincial Disaster Financial Assistance program and make it more responsive to local needs during times of emergency,” said Association of Manitoba Municipalities president Ralph Groening in the news release.
The full report is available on the province’s website.
