Hay River flood restorations and mitigation estimated to cost over $50 million

Key takeaways: 

• According to a statement, the town anticipates the N.W.T. Disaster Assistance Policy to cover almost half the cost.
• Cost calculations from the flooding will be presented to the town council on June 28.

It could cost Hay River, N.W.T.’s town council, about $52 million to fix the community after devastating spring flooding hit it.

The estimates were contained in a report released Friday by Glenn Smith, Hay River’s senior administrative officer, and will be on the town council’s plan on June 28. 

The second-largest neighborhood in the N.W.T. was evacuated in May when surge waters reached historic highs. Citizens returned a few days after waters were reduced to discover damaged roads, houses, and critical infrastructure. 

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The initial cost estimates showed the actual size of the damage, with repairs anticipated to cost $22 million and mitigation to cost an extra $30 million. 

Although the claims haven’t been raised yet, Smith said he hopes the territorial government will cover almost half the cost — over $23 million — through its Disaster Assistance Policy. 

“A request to Council will be brought on in July and will include support to submit applications through the Disaster Assistance Policy, which is thought to be the major economic source for supporting recovery and mitigation work,” he noted in the report.

Source – cbc.ca