Steinbach denied provincial disaster assistance following storms, flooding

The City of Steinbach is frustrated after the province denied its claim for disaster financial assistance following a significant storm and flooding last year.

Damage from two significant rainstorms two Septembers in a row is creating financial woes for the City of Steinbach and its residents.

“This is an event that we can’t stop,” said Steinbach Mayor Earl Funk.

“We can’t hold the rain back when it’s coming, and I think we need help from the province to take care of our people at this time.”

On Sept. 11, 2025, 135 millimetres of rain brought flooding in less than four hours to the community, impacting homeowners and businesses across the city.

Funk said the damage estimates were staggering when they came in.

“Overland flooding is non-insurable and there was over $1.6 million of overland flooding claims that were put forward, so I feel that was very significant,” he said.

A community impact assessment report prepared by the city found the total estimated damages incurred by city property owners from the 2025 flood was $4 million.

On top of this, Funk said residents are feeling a compound effect from September flooding in 2024.

A disaster financial assistance claim was filed to the province then and was denied as well.

Funk said he is seeking answers and clarity on Thursday as to why Steinbach has been denied again.

“What are the thresholds if we’re not meeting the threshold?” he asked.

“I can’t just sit back and just take another no, given the fact that this happened two years in a row.”

In a statement to CTV News Winnipeg, a spokesperson from the province said decisions around establishing a Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) program are complex.

The spokesperson said most of the reported damage is insurable, including sewage backup, and insurable losses are not eligible for DFA, and the event did not cause widespread damage or disruption to essential assets or essential services and was fairly limited in scope compared to events where DFA programs are established.

Mayor Funk said otherwise.

“What do you say to all the people that have flooded two years in a row who can’t get insurance?” he said.

“They can’t get insurance anymore because they had such a large claim.”

Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue was one of many flooded businesses hit with financial hardship.

CTV News Winnipeg connected with the organization following the flood in September.

Their flooded basement ruined their pet supplies, and the organization said a hefty $25,000 insurance deductible has hurt the non-profit two years in a row.

“For us to write a check for $25,000 times two within the 12-month period that we don’t budget for is a big hardship,” said Graham Pollock, vice-president for the animal rescue.

CTV News Winnipeg reached out to the province for a second time on Thursday to seek clarity on what they see as the financial thresholds needed for a DFA claim, and has not yet heard back.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada found insured damages caused by severe weather last year topped $2.4 billion across Canada.

Pollock said the rescue built concrete window wells following their temporary closure to help mitigate future rainfall.

The rescue’s basement is still unfinished, but Pollock said their organization has been grateful for the kindness and generosity of the surrounding community in the months following the heavy rainfall.

“When something like this happens, people step up, and we saw that immediately following the flood,” Pollock said.

“We had people calling us (to ask), ‘Do we need pumps? Do we need money? Do we need cat food?’ Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed along the way.”