Want to make sure your Toronto flooding subsidy application goes through the first time? The program is generous, paying 80% of eligible costs up to $6,650 per property, but it has clear requirements. A missing permit or an unclear invoice can hold up your payment.
We prepare the paperwork for every flood protection job we complete in Toronto. Here is the process from start to finish.
Step 1: Confirm you qualify
The program is open to owners of single-family homes, semis, townhouses, duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes in Toronto. There must be no outstanding City water or tax arrears on the property.
Step 2: Deal with your downspouts
The City requires downspouts to be disconnected from the sewer, or an exemption granted, before it pays the subsidy. Check your downspouts first. If they run into a pipe in the ground, they need to be disconnected.
Step 3: Get a plumbing assessment
A licensed plumber’s assessment looks at how water reaches your basement and what protection makes sense. The City pays 80% of the assessment cost, up to $500.
Step 4: Get the permit and complete the work
Backwater valves need a City plumbing permit and a passed inspection. Sump pumps, battery backups and pipe severance should be documented with photos. The work must be done by a licensed contractor.
Step 5: Gather your documents
You will need itemized invoices paid in full, photos of any sump pump installation and proof of the plumbing permit and passed inspection for backwater valves.
Step 6: Submit your application
Apply to the City with your documents within two years of completing the work. Because funding is first-come, first-served, applying promptly is sensible.
What the City pays for
The City pays 80% of each eligible invoice, up to $500 for an assessment, $1,600 per backwater valve for up to two valves, $2,250 for a sump pump, $300 for a battery backup and $400 for pipe severance and capping.
Let us handle the details
When we do the work, we pull the permit, book the inspection, take the photos and give you an itemized invoice laid out the way the City asks for it. Get in touch with our team to start with an assessment.
