Disaster Recovery

Disaster Financial Assistance

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Overview

After a disaster causing widespread damage, the NWT Disaster Assistance Policy and Disaster Assistance Funding Policy allow the GNWT to provide financial assistance to help individuals, small businesses, non-profit organizations, and community governments with recovery costs for essential basic needs.

Disaster assistance will not cover all costs associated with a disaster in the NWT, but will provide compensation for essential needs where private insurance does not.

Available Funding

A maximum of $240,000 is available per claim. There could be exceptions to this policy based on the event.

  • A single property can only be eligible for assistance up to 3 times, depending on whether mitigation measures were taken. 
  • Advance Payment:  If you need advance payments to help respond to urgent needs, you can get a one-time advance payment. This advance payment will be deducted from the final disaster assistance claim. Learn more about Advance Payments. 

Deadline

2023 Fire Disaster

  • Application Deadline: Closed on November 29, 2023

2022 Hay River Flood

  • Final Claim Deadline: December 31, 2024
  • Hay River residents and businesses who have applied for disaster assistance must submit their final claim for disaster assistance, including costs for abatement, mitigation and repair or replacement of homes, businesses and contents on the Standardized Item List by the December 31st deadline.
  • Mitigation Funding - Hay River residents and businesses who have applied for disaster assistance and who have received a mitigation assessment report, and have not submitted your final DAP claim, please be advised that you have until February 28, 2024 to submit your completed mitigation application. These can be dropped off at our MACA office in Hay River (Court House, 1st Floor) or emailed to us up until February 28, 2024 at email: flood@gov.nt.ca

Eligibility

The following events are eligible for financial assistance:

  • 2023 Wildfire Disaster*
    • Behchokǫ̀, Enterprise,  Fort Smith, Hay River, Yellowknife and Ndılǫ, potentially including the Ingraham Trail, Dettah, Jean Marie River, Kakisa, Wekweètı̀, and Sambaa k’e. 
    • *Kátł’odeeche First Nation may be eligible for the Emergency Management Assistance Program from the Government of Canada
  • 2022 Hay River Flood
    • Hay River

If you have been impacted by one of these events, you are only eligible for disaster financial assistance if insurance coverage was not available, or the costs you incurred exceed what your insurance covers. Applicants must fall under the following categories:

  • Residents

    • The damaged residence must be your primary residence.
    • Damages are valued at more than $1,000.  
  • Small Businesses

    • Damages are valued at more than $5,000
    • Business is owner-operated
    • Annual revenue is between $10,000 and $2 million
    • Business has no more than the equivalent of 20 full time employees
    • Non-profit organizations are eligible in the small business category if:
      • Damages are valued at more than $5,000.
      • Deliver an essential service (eg: food, shelter, addictions programming, or support for families experiencing family violence)
      • Registered and in good standing with the requirements of the Societies Act.
  • Local authorities (community governments)
    • Damages caused by the disaster are valued at more than five per cent of the operations and maintenance budget averaged over three years, as per audited financial statements. 

How to apply

Before to applying to DAP, follow these steps:

  1. Check to see if you are eligible
  2. Contact your insurance provider
    • Find out what costs your insurance will cover first.  If insurance will not cover your losses, or will only cover part of your losses, you may be eligible for Disaster Finance Assistance
  3. Check to see what is and isn't covered by Disaster Financial Assistance
  4. Reduce Damages and Impacts to your property
  5. Register for Disaster Financial Assistance.  Fill out the registration form and submit it by email to disasterassistance@gov.nt.ca
  6. You will be contacted by disaster assistance officials to do a preliminary screening. Information will be requested about whether the property is your primary residence and what type of damages occurred.
  7. If it is determined that you are not eligible for disaster assistance, you will be notified by letter. If it is determined that you may be eligible for disaster assistance, an inspection of your property will be arranged and you will be given information on next steps.

Related links

Hay River Flood

Community Governments