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2021 British Columbia Floods and Extreme Weather

Floods washed away road

Photo: BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure

Red Cross assisting people through personalized recovery support
Housing Repair and Reconstruction Support
Small Business and Not-for-Profits Mitigation Incentive – Pilot Program
Visit us in person
Additional ways the Canadian Red Cross is helping
For additional resources
We want to hear from you
 


Red Cross continues to assist people through personalized recovery support

The Canadian Red Cross is offering personalized recovery support to people impacted by the flooding and extreme weather event in British Columbia that took place on November 14, 2021. The Red Cross case management teams will work directly with people to discuss their unique needs and help them navigate their recovery journey and access available supports. This may include support for planning their return home, understanding insurance and community resources, providing financial assistance to access mental health services, as well as providing referrals and information to help people make decisions and inform their next steps.
 
If you have been impacted by the 2021 November flooding and extreme weather event, and would like to inquire about eligibility for these support services, please reach out to the Red Cross to meet with a Case Manager. If you are unable to visit our teams in-person, or prefer to meet over the phone, please connect with the Red Cross by emailing bcfloodrecovery@redcross.ca or calling and leaving a message at 1-800-863-6582. Someone will respond to you within 2 business days. A private and confidential appointment will then be arranged with your family representative. Appointments may take place in-person, over the phone or virtually.
 

Housing Repair and Reconstruction Support

The Red Cross is working with homeowners whose primary residence has been damaged from the November 2021 flooding and extreme weather event through housing repair and reconstruction support. In addition to the personalized recovery supports to plan for and navigate recovery, eligible homeowners may receive financial support to help meet their immediate needs, clean up their property and/or assist with expenses related to the repair or rebuilding of their home, or relocation. 

If you have been impacted by the 2021 November flooding and extreme weather event, and would like to inquire about eligibility for these support services, please reach out to the Red Cross to meet with a Case Manager. If you are unable to visit our teams in-person, or prefer to meet over the phone, please connect with the Red Cross by emailing bcfloodrecovery@redcross.ca or calling and leaving a message at 1-800-863-6582. Someone will respond to you within 2 business days. A private and confidential appointment will then be arranged with your family representative. Appointments may take place in-person, over the phone or virtually.


Visit the Red Cross case management team in person


In Person Supports are available at:

Merritt Support Centre located at 3499 Voght Street, Merritt, BC.
Hours of operation - by appointment only: 9:00am-4:00pm PST (excluding weekends and Statutory Holidays).

2026 Schedule 

January  

  • Jan 13 - 15 (Tuesday – Thursday)  

February  

  • Feb 3 - 5 (Tuesday – Thursday)  

March  

  • March 3 - 5 (Tuesday – Thursday)  

April

  • April 8 - 9 (Wednesday & Thursday)  

May  

  • May 5 - 7 (Tuesday – Thursday)  

June  

  • June 2 - 4 (Tuesday – Thursday)  

People who were impacted by the floods and extreme weather can also register with the Canadian Red Cross by calling and leaving a message at 1-800-863-6582. Someone will respond to you within 2 business days.


Small Business and Not-for-Profits Mitigation Incentive Pilot Program

The Canadian Red Cross was accepting applications for the Small Business and Not-for-Profits Mitigation Incentive pilot program, which provided financial incentives to eligible small businesses and not-for-profits who were interested in undertaking maintenance or mitigative actions to make their business or organization more resilient to future floods and extreme heat events. Please note that the application period for this program closed on August 29, 2025.  Learn more about this program. 


Additional ways the Canadian Red Cross is helping

The Canadian Red Cross continues to work closely with community leadership and all levels of government on how to best support people who have been impacted by the 2021 flooding and extreme weather in British Columbia.
 

Donor Updates 

Donations have enabled the Red Cross to carry out immediate and ongoing relief efforts, long-term recovery, resiliency, and risk reduction activities in and beyond the region at the individual and community levels.

severe flooding on a streetPhoto: BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
 

Additional Resources

Emergency Preparedness
For further tips and advice on what to do before, during and after floods, visit https://www.redcross.ca/how-we-help/emergencies-and-disasters-in-canada/types-of-emergencies/floods.
 
The Canadian Red Cross blog is another useful resource, including articles like this about the current B.C. floods.

Wellbeing and Coping with Crisis
Following an emergency or disaster, a person may experience a range of thoughts, feelings and behaviours that can be intense, confusing, and frightening. These experiences trigger responses that can include physical, emotional, and behavioural reactions.

There are many resources to help you, your family, and your community. Learn more about Coping with Crisis, including ways that you can care for yourself and your loved ones during an emergency. View the Canadian Red Cross' Moving Through Recovery: Guide for the Holidays.

If you are concerned for the immediate safety or yourself or someone else, call a local crisis support line or 911 right away. Key local crisis lines are listed below and specialised crisis lines are services can also be found here.
  • ​1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433): for individuals who are or know someone who is having thoughts of suicide. The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and in up to 140 languages. Operated in partnership with Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of B.C.
  • 310-Mental Health (310-6789 - no need to dial an area code):for individuals who would like emotional support, information and resources specific to mental health in British Columbia. The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is toll-free anywhere in British Columbia (no need to dial an area code).
  • Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868 or text 686868): Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7 national service offering professional counselling, information, referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support for young people in English and French. Now, Indigenous people can connect with an Indigenous volunteer crisis responder, when available, by messaging FIRST NATIONS, INUIT or METIS to 686868 for young people and 741741 for adults or through Facebook.

We want to hear from you

The mission of the Canadian Red Cross is to help those in times of need. We are always trying to improve our systems, processes, and programs to better serve you. We encourage you to provide feedback on your experience or interactions with us.  If you would like to share any feedback or have questions, please email us at CRCfeedback4@redcross.ca.
 
If you would like a response to your email, please ensure to include your full name, address, current phone number and as much detail and specifics as possible. These details will help us to better respond to your email.

Your feedback is important to us. Due to the high volume of emails we receive, we will respond to your email as soon as possible. For journalists and media outlets, please find a listing of all media contacts here.

FRAUD ALERT: Unfortunately, there are some people who may try to take advantage of those impacted by a disaster through fraudulent tactics. The Canadian Red Cross communicates only via email, phone, or in person and would never send a link through a text message for a person to click on to receive funds. We will never ask for your social insurance number, bank account information, or credit card number during your registration or to receive assistance. The Canadian Red Cross encourages people to stay informed from credible sources, such as the Government of Canada’s website for fraud prevention tips. If you suspect you have been a victim of fraudulent activity, please contact your local police authority.