FAQs

What assistance is available for people impacted by BC Floods? 

  • Support to Individuals and Families - Red Cross case workers are meeting one-on-one with individuals and families in need. You can book a confidential appointment by calling the Red Cross at 1-800-863-6582, or in person at the Red Cross Support Centre, now located at 7261 Riverside Drive (Boundary Flood Recovery office) in Grand Forks.
  • Household Emergency Assistance Program (HEAP) – The Household Emergency Assistance Program is funded by the B.C. Government and administered by the Red Cross. The program can provide up to nine rounds of monthly financial assistance from July 2018 through March 2019. The Program assists eligible primary residence households in the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary that have extensive damage due to the spring flooding and are experiencing financial need. Eligible households have to meet monthly with a Canadian Red Cross caseworker to discuss their needs. Support is available for both lodging and food, with amounts determined each month, on a case-by-case basis.       
  • Support to Small Businesses – Additional financial support is available to flood impacted small businesses and not-for-profit organizations. Eligible businesses and not-for-profits  can apply to the Red Cross for part of $2.9 million in funding from the B.C. Government. Small business owners and not-for-profit organizations can apply online until March 1, 2019. Find out more about Support to Small Business, and how to apply here. Remember to submit your supporting documents along with your paper form. This support is in addition to the $1,500 that small businesses may have received through the Support for Small Business Program.
  • Community Partnerships Program (CPP) - The Community Partnerships Program provides funding to support community-driven efforts that promote individual and community recovery from the 2018 floods. Red Cross continues to accept applications for this program. Funding is available to help in the following areas: Community strengthening; Safety & wellbeing; Indigenous programming; Disaster Risk Reduction. Visit www.redcross.ca/bcfloods/communitypartnerships for more information. 

Who is eligible for Household Emergency Assistance Program financial support? 

Household Emergency Assistance Program support may be available to households in the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary whose primary residence is extensively damaged due to the spring flooding. Assistance may be available for homeowners or tenants experiencing financial hardship, and needing support with housing or food, as they remain out of their homes. Any new individuals and families who present with flood related needs will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The Household Emergency Assistance Program is currently available only to flood-impacted communities in the Kootenay Boundary Regional District, including Grand Forks.

How do I access the household Emergency Assistance Program?

Eligible households have to meet each month with a Canadian Red Cross caseworker to discuss their needs. To book an appointment, please call 1-800-863-6582 or come in person to the Red Cross Support Centre location at 7261 Riverside Drive in Grand Forks.

Where is the Red Cross Support Centre in Grand Forks? 

7261 Riverside Drive
Grand Forks

Open:
Monday: 9 am - 4 pm (closed from 12 pm – 1 pm)
Tuesday: 9 am - 12 pm
Wednesday: 9 am - 4 pm (closed from 12 pm – 1 pm)
Thursday: 9 am - 4 pm (closed from 12 pm – 1 pm)
Friday: 9 am - 12 pm

Closed: weekends and statutory holidays 

Flood-impacted residents can book an appointment to discuss their needs and potential assistance with a Red Cross case worker at the Support Centre in Grand Forks. You can also find copies of the Preparing for and Coping with Emergencies and Disasters Guide at the Support Centre to help with your return home and recovery.

If you are a flood-impacted resident anywhere else in B.C. you can contact your local authority for more information on services in your area.

When is the Red Cross Call Centre open?

You can contact the Red Cross regarding BC floods by calling 1-800-863-6582 Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Who can apply for Community Partnership program funding?

Organizations with programming in communities affected by the BC floods, including:

  • Registered Charities
  • Not-for-profit organizations
  • Municipalities
  • Non-governmental organizations
  • Schools and school boards
  • Indigenous organizations
  • Faith-based organizations
  • Community groups

What types of projects may eligible for Community Partnerships Program funding?

Funding is available to help in the following areas:

  • Community strengthening initiatives that bring communities together
  • Safety & wellbeing support for community services that help individual wellbeing
  • Indigenous programming that supports the unique needs of communities
  • Disaster Risk Reduction activities to help prepare for future emergencies

Please email BCCommunityPartners@redcross.ca for initial guidance with your proposal before submitting an application. Additional questions about the program can also be sent to that email.

How will Support for Small Business help small businesses?

Support for Small Business is intended to assist with uninsured losses, deductibles, minor repairs, clean-up, and equipment needs. Assistance will be determined case-by-case, based on needs.

What businesses are eligible to receive Support for Small Business funding?

Additional financial support will be available to Small Businesses and not-for-profit organizations in the Kootenay Boundary Regional District. Eligibility criteria will be the same as the initial emergency financial assistance to provide additional support to impacted small businesses.

How can a small business or not-for-profit apply for Support for Small Business funding?

Application forms and information on how to apply are available here. The deadline for Support for Small Business applications is March 1, 2019.

Personal information

We work to ensure the safety of your personal information at all times when providing emergency aid. Please be aware that we will never ask for your bank information, credit card number or social insurance number, neither online nor by phone, during the provision of emergency aid. Our call centre phone number will not appear on your caller ID as an international/US phone number. If you are ever unsure if it is the Red Cross calling you, please hang up and call our main number at: 1-800-863-6582.