Sproat Lake residents were advised by guest speakers from Emergency Management BC how to receive disaster financial aid if their homes were damaged from recent flooding that occurred at Sproat Lake.
A Sproat Lake Residents Community Meeting was held on Thursday, Dec. 1 at the Sproat Lake Community Hall to discuss flood recovery and how many residents experienced damage to their homes during major flooding in the area from Nov. 3 to Nov.13.
Penny Cote, Sproat Lake electoral area director with the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD), said more than 30 residents were in attendance.
The panel from Emergency Management BC discussed available BC disaster relief funding and what it covers.
“The message from Emergency Management disaster financial aid was that people need to apply for the financial aid. Even if they don’t get it, it’s getting the province the evidence that there was damage done here and to what extent,” Cote said.
The financial aid would help cover costs of damage from the flooding that occurred to residents’ principal homes. About 50 per cent of Sproat Lake residents have permanent principal homes in the area, Cote said.
When the flooding occurred, Cote said most Sproat Lake residents dealt with any damage on their own.
“The community really came together,” Cote said.
“The reason I know that is because of the stories I’ve been hearing from people who say ‘I came home and all the things in my garage were up on blocks.’”
Panelists also gave residents tips on how to effectively dry out flood-damaged basements, rip out flooring and drywall if needed and clean up.
Cote said a motion was made at a Nov. 23 ACRD board of directors meeting to ask the provincial and federal governments to consult with the local communities regarding Somass Watershed flooding projections, share information about anticipated flood events and investigate options for mitigation of flooding.
In addition, the board of directors will write to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to thank them for their preparation and actions to manage traffic on Highway 4 during the flooding and ask for consideration of improvements to avoid traffic disruptions along the Highway in similar flood events.
A Sproat Lake property flood damage survey is available on the Sproat Lake Community Association’s website at sproatlakeassociation.ca.