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Manitoba Floods: Climate Change Forces Policy Shift
17 Jun
Summary
- Manitoba to update disaster support policies due to climate change.
- Flood victims unable to get insurance may still qualify for aid.
- Province aims to support rural residents left behind by climate impacts.
Manitoba's premier has declared that the province will update its disaster financial assistance policies to address the increasing impacts of climate change. Recent torrential rains caused rivers to overflow, leading to widespread flooding and states of local emergency in several municipalities.
Premier Wab Kinew stated that residents who did not obtain flood insurance, even if they could have, may now be eligible for government aid. He emphasized that old rules, developed before apparent climate change effects, should not prevent the province from doing the right thing, especially for those in rural areas who have not experienced such disasters in decades.
The province is still finalizing the details of the support programs, including the expected payouts. However, Winnipeggers whose properties were damaged are not expected to be included, as their municipality did not declare a state of emergency. This policy shift comes as a study suggested that removing disaster financial assistance could increase flood insurance uptake.
