The federal government will match all donations to the Canadian Red Cross to support residents impacted by the Canada Day flooding in Ottawa. Some areas of Ottawa received more than 150 millimetres of rain in a five-hour period on July 1, flooding roads and over 6,000 basements in the wards of Bay, College and Knoxdale-Merivale. On July 16, the Canadian Red Cross launched the 2026 Ottawa Floods Appeal campaign to provide support to those impacted by the flooding. On Friday, the government announced it would match all eligible donations from individual Canadians and corporations made to support the victims of the flooding in Ottawa this summer. “The Canada Day floods in Ottawa had a devastating impact on communities and homes. Many lost more than can be replaced,” MPP Anita Vandenbeld said in a statement. “But our community came forward and helped by giving donations to the Canadian Red Cross to help their neighbours. Today the Government of Canada is also there to help with matching donations. We will always be there to support the people of Ottawa.” Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said he was “grateful” to Prime Minister Mark Carney and local MPs for “agreeing to my request to match donations” through the Red Cross flood appeal campaign. “We must do everything we can to support Ottawa residents struck by the historic storm on July 1. Many of them face long-term financial hardship,” Sutcliffe said on X. “This is a very generous move that will go a long way in helping our residents get back on their feet. The Ontario government activated the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO) program for the areas of Graham Creek and Stillwater Creek in Ottawa’s west end. The geographical area the province has defined includes areas such as Bayshore, Qualicum, Leslie Park, and Trend-Arlington. The province activates DRAO to assist residents following natural resources, including flooding, tornadoes, landslides and earthquakes. The City of Ottawa has also partnered with Matthew House and Habitat for Humanity to provide furniture to flood victims.
