Highs winds from hurricane Dorian toppled several large trees in King's Square in uptown Saint John on Sept. 7, 2019. (Photo: Brad Perry/CHSJ News)
If your home or small business was damaged during Hurricane Dorian, you can now apply for financial help through the province.
The storm wreaked havoc on 24 municipalities in New Brunswick, with power outages affected more than 80,000 customers during September’s storm.
Applications for the Disaster Financial Relief program are open until February 26th. Residents can apply online or over the phone.
“This has been a difficult year for the province in terms of extreme, damaging weather,” said Public Safety Minister Carl Urquhart in a release. “But we are pleased that we can once again help New Brunswickers get back on their feet.”
The maximum assistance for structural repairs to private residences is $160,000, while the maximum for small businesses and not-for-profit organizations is $500,000.
Individual homeowners will be subject to a $1,000 deductible, and small businesses and non-profits will pay $5,000.
Deductibles are automatically waived for social services clients. Requests for waiver may also be considered from those who are experiencing severe financial hardship.
The province explains that the program is not a replacement for insurance. It will assist in covering only the basic costs of essential items.
Residents are asked to contact their insurance companies first before applying, to see if the damage is already covered.
More than $313 million has been spent in the past 11 years on disaster recovery and mitigation in New Brunswick.
