Inuvik MLA says help needed for residents affected by flooding

Water levels onthe Mackenzie River are continuing to decrease, but some Inuvik residents are still dealing with the aftermath of flooding, says Inuvik Twin Lakes MLA Lesa Semmler.

In the legislature Tuesday, Semmlersaidmany residents headed out on the land or totheir cabins to "seek refuge and help stop the spread early on [during the]COVID-19 [pandemic]," something that was encouraged by the territory's chief public health officer.

Now, Semmleris wondering what the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) is going to do to help residents that are dealing with damages.

"Many residents in my community were forced to leave their cabins, some in the middle of the night," saidSemmler, referring to the flooding that inundated some people at their cabins last week.

"In some cases people have had to leave a lot of their personal belongings and have suffered great loss to their cabins, their personal property."

In the 17 years on record, this year's water levels are the highest,reaching up to 16.5 metres.

What funding is available?

Premier and community affairs ministerCaroline Cochrane saidone option for people dealing with flood damage isthe Disaster Assistance Policy, though she says it is meant for primary properties.

The other is the Harvester Disaster Compensation Program via the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, she said.

"It provides support to N.W.T. harvesters when they suffer loss or damages to their assets to help them with their harvesting."

For harvesters to qualify, they must have a general hunting licence or be a land-claim beneficiary.Residents also need to prove that harvesting provides 25 per centof their gross annual income.

That program could provide someone with up to $4,500.

Cochrane said shewould make sure to publicize this resource to harvesters and that "the [territorial government] is known for not being the best communicator but this assembly is trying to do better."

Proactive vs. reactive

Semmler also asked if the community affairs departmentwill look forfuture ways that could help prevent damage to residents' properties, such as moving or raising their properties.

She pointed out that climate change continues to have an impact in the Beaufort Delta region "more than anywhere else in the country."

Cochrane said this is an issue where it's harder to get money to prevent disasters.

"The federal government tends to just give money for the disasters when they happen," she said."It is something that we need to keep with bringing awareness to the federal government.

"Climate change is affecting the North more than any other communities in Canada, and so it's important that we continue to raise that to the federal government and to look for proactive money versus just reactive money."